A patient in Florida has contracted a rare brain-eating amoeba, according to health officials.
The Florida Department of Health said Friday that a case of the often deadly amoeba called Naegleria fowleri was detected in Hillsborough County.
The parasite occurs naturally in fresh water and can be fatal when it enters the body through the nose, causing a condition known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis that destroys brain tissue, health officials said.
The infection is more likely to occur in July, August and September when the water is warmest, the agency said.
“Naegleria fowleri is found in many warm freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers in the United States, but it is more common in the southern states,” the agency said.
“The low number of infections makes it difficult to know why some people have been infected compared to the millions of other people who used the same or similar waters across the United States.”
Since 1962, only 37 cases of amoeba have been confirmed in the sun state.
State health officials encouraged people to keep their noses closed or use nose clips during water activities.
“Adverse health effects on humans can be prevented by avoiding nasal contact with the waters, as the amoeba enters the nostrils,” the agency said.
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