A Missouri patient dies from a brain-eating amoeba at a hospital in St. Louis.

Missouri Resident Dies from Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba

This week, state health officials reported a tragic death in Missouri attributed to a rare brain-eating amoeba. The individual, described only as an adult from Missouri, passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in the St. Louis area, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).

The patient was confirmed on August 13 to have been infected with Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba responsible for a serious condition known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Naegleria fowleri is typically found in warm freshwater bodies like lakes, rivers, and ponds. The amoeba flourishes particularly in such waters after storms when temperatures are between 80 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Infection occurs when water enters the body through the nose, enabling the amoeba to travel to the brain, where it damages brain tissue.

Health officials stress that these infections are exceptionally rare, with fewer than 10 cases reported in the United States annually.

Since 1962, the DHSS has documented just 167 cases nationwide, and Missouri has only confirmed two other cases—one in 1987 and another in 2022.

The department has advised both residents and visitors to take care when swimming in warm freshwater or engaging in water activities. Suggested precautions include closing the nose while in the water, avoiding stirring up sediments, and using distilled or boiling water when necessary.

Symptoms of PAM can arise between 1 and 12 days after exposure and may include severe headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, a stiff neck, seizures, confusion, and hallucinations. Health officials noted that these symptoms tend to worsen over time.

“It’s crucial to seek medical attention if early symptoms appear,” said Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer and infectious disease expert at Trinity Health in Michigan, emphasizing that drinking contaminated water does not pose a risk and that the infection cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Treatment generally involves a combination of antifungal medications and antibiotics, including rifampin and azithromycin. The health agency has stated that no additional cases are suspected in the surrounding area.