US National Whitewater Center Suspends Whitewater Activities After Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Ohio Teen

After a brain-eating amoeba claimed a life at the U.S. National Whitewater Center on June 19, the organization, located in Charlotte, has suspended its whitewater activities. But establishing a standard for completely eliminating the amoeba may not be realistic, a county health director warned.

The non-profit USNWC is located on a 1,100-acre plot, with over 25 miles of trail, in Charlotte and circulates about 12 million gallons of water. The facility is a sanctuary for those who revere outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting, kayaking, biking, rock climbing and other sport activities.

After the passing of Lauren Seitz, 18, of Ohio, park and county health officials have suspended whitewater activities, though they stressed that all other activities and operations will carry on.

Seitz had been visiting the center on a church trip when she was infected with the amoeba and later died as a result of the rare, yet fatal infection the amoeba causes. She's believed to have contracted the amoeba after her group's raft overturned.

The decision to suspend whitewater activities "was made by the Whitewater Center after initial test results found Naegleria Fowleri DNA was present in the whitewater system," the USNWC said in a statement on Friday. "The USNWC is working with the CDC and local health officials to develop next steps."

The USNWC routinely cleans its water cycling through the man-made park, but the center doesn't test it as do similar facilities of comparable size. However, water tests and regulations will now be mulled by officials, stated Marcus Plescia, Mecklenburg County's health director.

"I doubt it is realistic to set a standard that the amoeba not be present," Plescia said. "We are looking at whether there might be ways to at least monitor its concentration. Whatever we do, we will make clear to the public what the limitations are and that we may not be able to completely eliminate risk."

Officials have indicated that whitewater activities will remain suspended at the center until a solution is found. And Bill James, a county commissioner, promised on Friday that "more details are forthcoming."