A rare case of brain infection has been confirmed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
An adult Missouri resident was diagnosed with Naegleria fowleri, according to DHSS. It’s a microscopic single-celled free living ameba that the Centers for Disease Control said can cause a rare deadly infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) or “brain eating” infection.
The patient is currently being treated in an intensive care unit at a Missouri hospital.
The source of the infection is being investigated by public health officials. Preliminary information suggests the patient may have been water skiing at Lake of the Ozarks days prior to becoming ill.
The infection is rare, but it occurs when water containing the ameba enters the body through the nose from freshwater sources, including lakes, rivers, ponds and hot springs. It then travels to the brain where it damages tissue.
Here's how you can reduce the risk of infection:
- Hold your nose shut, use nose clips, or keep your head above water when taking part in activities in bodies of warm freshwater, especially if you jump or dive into the water.
- Avoid putting your head under the water in hot springs and other untreated thermal waters.
- Avoid water-related activities in warm freshwater during periods of high-water temperature.
- Avoid digging in, or stirring up, the sediment while taking part in water-related activities in shallow, warm freshwater areas. Naegleria fowleri amebas are more likely to live in sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers.
Symptoms of infection include:
- Severe headache.
- Fever.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Stiff neck.
- Seizures.
- Altered mental status.
- Hallucinations.
If you notice symptoms, seek medical care immediately.
Most people who are infected don’t survive, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "Coma followed by death usually happens in a week or 10 days after symptoms and signs begin," the health system said on its website.
