'Brain-eating' amoeba patient was at Lake of the Ozarks before infection and death

A Missouri resident succumbed to an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that can lead to primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The individual had been water skiing at the Lake of the Ozarks before falling ill and was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed the diagnosis, noting that PAM has a survival rate of less than 3%. Investigations are underway to ascertain the source of exposure, although preliminary findings suggest the lake may be involved. Health officials emphasize that while Naegleria fowleri is prevalent in warm freshwater, PAM remains exceptionally rare, with only 167 cases reported in the U.

S. since 1962. Recreational water users are advised to take precautions, such as using nose clips and avoiding stirring up sediment in shallow waters. Symptoms like severe headache, fever, and altered mental status should prompt immediate medical attention. This incident marks the only known case of PAM being treated in Missouri currently.