🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
One person has been hospitalized in Missouri after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare "brain-eating amoeba."
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Human Senior Services (DHSS), it's the first case in the state in 35 years.
But while Missouri may not have had a case in that amount of time, the same cannot be said for every state.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, from 1983 through 2012 there were 28 deaths from Naegleria fowleri infections in Texas—an average of about one per year. One family, in particular, is suing after saying their son died after he contracted the amoeba at a splash pad.
What is Naegleria Fowleri?
DHSS describes Naegleria fowleri as a "microscopic single-celled free-living ameba (sic) that can cause a rare-life threatening infection of the brain called primary amebic (sic) meningoencephalitis (PAM)."
A beach in southern Iowa has been closed, according to The Des Moines Register. The patient with the unusual organism had been swimming at Lake of Three Fires State Park before hospitalization.
The outlet reports that health officials in Iowa are currently conducting tests on the body of water. But added that the testing would take several days to complete.
Where is Naegleria Fowleri Found?
DHSS stated that the life-threatening amoeba is normally found in lakes, rivers and ponds and other places commonly associated with warm freshwater.
While the DHSS did not specify where the individual may have contracted the potentially deadly organism, the department does state that "local and out-of-state activity are being considered."
"These situations are extremely rare in the United States and in Missouri specifically, but it's important for people to know that the infection is a possibility so they can seek medical care in a timely manner if related symptoms present," Dr. George Turabelidze, Missouri's state epidemiologist, said to DHSS.
How Do You Keep From Getting Naegleria Fowleri?
The department reports the amoeba will enter the body through the nose and then make its way up to the brain, where it will begin attacking tissue.
DHSS points out that to avoid contracting Naegleria fowleri, restrict the amount of water that enters the nose when swimming. It suggests using nose clips, not submerging your head in "hot springs and other untreated thermal waters" and not participating in "water-related activities in warm freshwater during periods of high-water temperature."
Also, avoid digging into the sediment located in places where freshwater is present.
What Are Symptoms of Naegleria Fowleri?
The health department mentions that common symptoms of Naegleria fowleri for those who have recently spent time in a warm body of water include:
- fever,
- stiff neck,
- vomiting,
- seizures,
- severe headache,
- altered mental status and
- hallucinations.
Where Has Naegleria Fowleri Been Found?
The amoeba has been found in countries around the world, claiming the life of one man and putting another in critical care in May.
In the United States, Naegleria fowleri has been discovered so infrequently that DHSS says there have only been 154 known cases of the amoeba in the United States since 1962. Between 2011 and 2020, there were only 33 reported Naegleria fowleri cases, according to the Des Moines Register.
A Texas river authority, however, issued a warning last month for people to be aware of brain-eating amoebas present in water as temperatures rise in the state.
Newsweek reached out to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for further comment.
