The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has announced a case of a Missouri adult with an infection of Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that can cause a rare, deadly brain infection.
The infection is called amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, and is also known as the “brain-eating” infection, according to the department.
PAM typically infects fewer than 10 people across the United States in a year, according to the department.
The patient is currently being treated for PAM in a intensive care unit. There are no additional cases of PAM being investigated in Missouri.
The source of the infection is still unknown. However, preliminary information implies the patient may have been water skiing in the Lake of the Ozarks in the days before they became sick.
The amoeba is common and naturally found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers and ponds. However, PAM is extremely rare. Between 1962 and 2024, there were a total of 167 reported cases of PAM, according to the department.
People become infected by the amoeba when water with the amoeba enters the nose. However, infection is very rare and can not be spread from one person to another or contracted when swallowing water.
The Department of Health and Senior Services said the best way to reduce the risk of infection is limiting the amount of water going up the nose. Some ways include:
- Holding nose shut with either hands or clips
- Avoid putting your head under water, especially in hot-untreated water
- Avoid water-related activities during high-water temperatures
- Avoid stirring up sediment in warm freshwater areas
Those who experience the following symptoms after swimming in a warm body of water should contact their health care provider immediately:
- Severe headache
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Seizures
- Altered mental status
- Hallucinations