Naegleria fowleri — Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) — Amebic Encephalitis
Naegleria fowleri (commonly referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba" or "brain-eating ameba"), is a free-living microscopic ameba*, (single-celled living organism). It can cause a rare** and devastating infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The ameba is commonly found in warm freshwater (e.g. lakes, rivers, and hot springs) and soil. Naegleria fowleri usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose. Once the ameba enters the nose, it travels to the brain where it causes PAM, which is usually fatal. Infection typically occurs when people go swimming or diving in warm freshwater places, like lakes and rivers. In very rare instances, Naegleria infections may also occur when contaminated water from other sources (such as inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water or heated and contaminated tap water) enters the nose 1-4. You cannot get infected from drinking water contaminated with Naegleria.
Left: EM image of Naegleria fowleri in its cyst stage. Center: EM image of Naegleria fowleri in its ameboid trophozoite stage. Right: EM image of Naegleria fowleri in its flagellated stage. Credit: DPDxand GS Visvesvara. See Videos and Photos of Naegleria fowleri for further images.
Explore Naegleria fowleri
- General InformationFrequently asked questions (in English and Español)...
- Pathogen & EnvironmentCause of infection, survival in the environment...
- Diagnosis & DetectionTesting for patients and for environmental samples...
- Prevention & ControlHow to stay healthy...
- Publications, Data, & StatisticsArticles, references...
- Illness & SymptomsSigns, symptoms, and outcomes...
- Sources of Infection & Risk FactorsWho gets it and how...
- TreatmentMedication...
- Resources for Public Health & Medical ProfessionalsDiagnosis and treatment...
- CDC at WorkWhat CDC contributes...
References
- Yoder JS, Eddy BA, Visvesvara GS, Capewell L, Beach MJ. The epidemiology of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in the USA, 1962-2008.
Epidemiol Infect. 2010;138(7):968-75.
- Visvesvara GS. Free-living amebae as opportunistic agents of human disease.
[PDF - 13 pages]
- Marciano-Cabral F, Cabral G. The immune response to Naegleria fowleri amebae and pathogenesis of infection.
- CDC. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis associated with ritual nasal rinsing — St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, 2012.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013;62(45):903.
*About the Term "Ameba"
In U.S. English, the single-celled living organism described here is an ameba. The word amoeba, with an "o", is used as part of a scientific genus name (such as Amoeba or Acanthamoeba). In British English, both the generic organism term and genera names are spelled amoeba with an "o".
In U.S. English, the single-celled living organism described here is an ameba. The word amoeba, with an "o", is used as part of a scientific genus name (such as Amoeba or Acanthamoeba). In British English, both the generic organism term and genera names are spelled amoeba with an "o".
**Rare Disease
There is no universal definition of a "rare disease" but the U.S. Rare Disease Act of 2002 defined a rare disease as affecting less than 200,000 people in the U.S. and this definition has been adopted by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Rare Diseases.
There is no universal definition of a "rare disease" but the U.S. Rare Disease Act of 2002
defined a rare disease as affecting less than 200,000 people in the U.S. and this definition has been adopted by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Rare Diseases.
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