Brain-eating amoebas may sound like science fiction, but they are a very real—and often deadly—health threat, according to family physician and medical contributor Dr. Jen Caudle.
In a recent video, Dr. Caudle explained how the microscopic organism, known scientifically as Naegleria fowleri, can cause a severe brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
Found in Warm Freshwater and Poorly Treated Pools
The amoeba lives in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and even inadequately chlorinated swimming pools.
It can also exist in soil. The danger arises when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the amoeba to travel directly to the brain.
“You cannot get this infection by swallowing water,” Dr. Caudle said. Instead, the risk is highest during activities like swimming, diving, or other water sports in warm freshwater.
A Rare but Fatal Infection
From 2009 to 2018, only 34 cases of Naegleria fowleri infection were reported in the United States.
Despite the rarity, the fatality rate is staggering: over 97% of those infected do not survive. Out of 145 known U.S. cases between 1962 and 2018, only four people survived.
Heightened Caution in Summer Months
Public health experts note that infections are more likely to occur during the summer, when water temperatures rise and more people engage in recreational water activities.
Preventive steps include avoiding freshwater swimming in high-risk areas, keeping your head above water when possible, and ensuring swimming pools are properly maintained and chlorinated.
While brain-eating amoebas remain a rare threat, Dr. Caudle stressed that awareness is key:
“This organism is no joke—it can be deadly.”
