A Missouri resident is in the hospital after contracting a rare and deadly "brain-eating" infection, according to state health officials. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said in a recent news release that the unidentified patient likely encountered Naegleria fowleri—a microscopic amoeba that can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM—after waterskiing at the Lake of the Ozarks, reports NBC News. The patient is said to be receiving treatment in the ICU, per First Alert 4.
N. fowleri lurks in warm fresh water, and while it's not uncommon for it to be present, actual infections are exceedingly rare. The amoeba can also be found in unchlorinated swimming pools and splash pads, and even on occasion in tap water, per the CDC. It typically enters the body through the nose, then makes a beeline for the brain, where it destroys tissue. US health officials have recorded only 167 cases nationwide from 1962 through last year. Unfortunately, PAM almost always proves fatal, with patients usually succumbing within five days of initial symptoms like headache, fever, and nausea.
The Missouri incident follows another tragic case: In July, 12-year-old Jaysen Carr died after swimming in South Carolina's Lake Murray. Officials urge caution for anyone enjoying warm fresh water, recommending nose clips, limiting underwater activity, and steering clear of stirring up lake sediment, where the amoeba tends to reside.
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