Brain Come Dies of Ameba infected, confirm Missouri’s health officials

A Missouri resident died after being infected with a rare ameba that eats brain at Lake Ozarks, state health officials announced this week.

The patient, identified only as an adult from Missouri, died Tuesday at a hospital in the St. Louis area, said the Department of Senior Health and Services of Missouri (DHSS) in a press release.

The authorities confirmed on August 13 that the individual had contracted Naegleria Fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that causes the primary amoebic meningephance (PAM), a rare brain infection but almost always mortal that is often known as “eating brain” disease.

More cases of deadly bacterial infection ‘Eat meat’ at the popular holiday fate

The victim was hospitalized in intensive care before succumbing to the infection, which was believed to be contracted while the aquatic skiing days before in the lake of the Ozarks in the center of Missouri, News Digital previously reported.

Naegleria Fowleri is naturally present in warm fresh water, such as lakes, rivers and ponds. The amoeba thrives in the river water and the lake at 80 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, especially after the storms.

The amoeba infects people when water enters the body through the nose, traveling to the brain where it destroys brain tissue.

Death confirmed by the rare and mortal ‘ameba that eats brain’ in the south of the lake

Health officials emphasized that the infection is extremely rare. Less than 10 cases are reported in the US every year.

Since 1962, only 167 cases have been documented throughout the country, according to DHSS. Missouri has confirmed only two other cases in its history: one in 1987, and another in 2022.

The department urged residents and visitors to take precautions when swimming or participating in aquatic sports in warm fresh water. It recommends keeping a closed nose or using clips, avoiding agitation sediment in warm and shallow waters, do not immerse the head in hot springs and use distilled or boiled water for sinus rinses.

PAM’s symptoms can appear within one to 12 days of the exposure and may include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, rigid neck, seizures, confusion and hallucinations. Symptoms are likely to get worse over time, authorities said.

Click here to register in our health newsletter

“Early symptoms should cause a medical evaluation, since they are also signs of bacterial meningitis,” said Tammy Lundstrom, medical director and specialist in infectious diseases of Trinity Health in Michigan, told News Digital.

Drinking contaminated water does not present a risk, and the infection does not spread from one person to another, Lundstrom added.

For more health articles, visit Newsnews.com/health

The treatment generally includes a variety of antimicotic medications, as well as antibiotics such as rifampín and azithromycin, he said.

No other cases are suspected in the area, the health agency declared in its press release.

Click here to get the News application

News Digital has communicated with the Department of Health of Missouri and services for older people to obtain more information.

Melissa Rudy of News Digital contributed to this report.