Missouri Resident Hospitalized With 'brain-eating' Infection Possibly Linked To Water Skiing, Officials Say

A Missouri resident has been hospitalized pinch what wellness officials described arsenic a deadly "brain-eating infection" aft perchance waterskiing successful a section lake.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said successful a Wednesday news merchandise that nan diligent — who they person not identified — appears to person been exposed to a Naegleria fowleri.

The agency described Naegleria fowleri arsenic "a microscopic single-celled free-living ameba that tin origin a rare, deadly infection of nan encephalon called superior amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), besides known arsenic 'brain-eating' infection."

Health officials said that a preliminary investigation suggests that nan diligent whitethorn person been h2o skiing successful nan Lake of nan Ozarks, a reservoir successful cardinal Missouri, days earlier becoming ill.

Naegleria fowleri is commonly recovered successful freshwater, according to nan agency, but PAM is "extremely rare." The ameba is typically ingested done nan chemoreceptor and travels up to nan brain, wherever it damages nan encephalon tissue, nan agency added.

"Recreational h2o users should presume that Naegleria fowleri is coming successful lukewarm freshwater crossed nan United States; however, infection remains very rare," nan agency said.

The wellness agency said that betwixt 1962 and 2024, location were only 167 reported cases of nan infection successful nan United States.

Last month, 12-year-old Jaysen Carr died from contracting PAM days aft swimming successful Lake Murray successful South Carolina, according to a connection nan rule patient representing Carr's family posted connected Facebook.

"We guidelines beside this family not only to activity nan truth, but to thief guarantee nary different family endures a nonaccomplishment for illustration this," nan Bailey Law Firm said.

Early symptoms of PAM see headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, according to nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC says that astir group pinch PAM dice wrong 1 to 18 days aft symptoms begin, and that nan infection typically leads to coma and decease wrong 5 days.

The Missouri HHS advised that residents "avoid water-related activities successful lukewarm freshwater during periods of high-water temperature," usage chemoreceptor clamps, and debar putting their heads underwater.

It besides suggested avoiding nan excavation of bedewed sediment, arsenic "Naegleria fowleri amebas are much apt to unrecorded successful sediment astatine nan bottommost of lakes, ponds, and rivers."