Warmer freshwater could favor Naegleria fowleri, researchers say, though fewer than 10 U.S. cases of its nearly always-fatal brain infection are diagnosed each year. The amoeba has recently been detected farther north, including in Nebraska and Iowa.
The article cites CDC figures showing that only four people diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) between 1962 and 2024 survived. Infection occurs when water containing the amoeba enters the nose; swallowing the water does not cause infection, and PAM is not contagious. Most patients die or enter a coma within five days of exposure.
CDC precautions cited in the article include using a nose clip or keeping water out of the nose while swimming, keeping the head above water in hot springs, and using distilled or boiled water for nasal rinses.
