Called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), the infection is caused by a microscopic single-celled free-living ameba found in warm freshwater called Naegleria fowleri.
The Missouri patient is currently being treated for PAM in an intensive care unit of a hospital.
The ameba is commonly found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers, and ponds; however, PAM is extremely rare. Since 1962, only 154 known cases have been identified in the United States. The only other case identified among a Missouri resident occurred in 1987, and currently, no additional suspected cases of PAM are being investigated in Missouri.
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