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Teen critically ill, infected with ‘brain-eating amoeba,’ health department says
Summary by The Nashville Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: Dorothy Sedovic , as published by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate)
· August 28, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Nashville Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Dorothy Sedovic, as published by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 28, 2026 Indexed here Aug 28, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key points Since 1962, there have been 167 reported cases, with only four survivors. The infection is extremely rare, affecting fewer than 10 people in the US annually.
A rare brain infection has left a teenager critically ill. The illness, known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis, is caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This condition is typically fatal, with only a few reported cases of survival.
The infection is extremely rare, affecting fewer than 10 people in the US annually. Since 1962, there have been 167 reported cases, with only four survivors.
Further information about the teenager's condition is not available due to privacy concerns, but health officials have expressed sympathy for the family and loved ones during this difficult time.
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WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) reported and published this story. The Nashville selected it, summarised the key facts above, and links to the original. We did not report this story and we added no reporting of our own to it.
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As published by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) . The Nashville selects stories from publishers’ feeds, summarises them, and links back to the publisher that reported them. We add no reporting of our own. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: News ·
Published: August 28, 2026 ·
Source: WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) ·
Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A rare brain infection has left a teenager critically ill. The illness, known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis, is caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This condition is typically fatal, with…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 28, 2026 by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) and curated for The Nashville readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Dorothy Sedovic at WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate). To learn more about how The Nashville selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more News coverage from The Nashville, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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