Missouri – Yesterday, officials from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed that a case of a rare infection involving a brain eating amoeba has emerged within Missouri.
This amoeba is called Naegleria Fowleri, and travels through a persons nasal cavity to their brain before eating the surrounding tissue. The confirmed case has likely been traced back to Lake of the Ozarks.
The amoeba, while commonly present in warm freshwater sources across the US, produces only very sporadic cases of this infection. Officials go on to say that between 1962 to 2024, only 167 cases have been reported.
Lastly, it is important to note that while this infection is deadly, it is not contagious.
The patient confirmed with the infection is currently being treated in an ICU.
