Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba (single-celled organism) found in soil and warm fresh water sources, such as lakes, rivers and hot springs. It is not found in sea or other saline water bodies.
It is commonly called ‘brain-eating amoeba’ because during swimming or diving, the water containing amoeba enters the human body through the nose and reaches the brain.
Once in the brain, it destroys tissue and causes a fatal infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
There is no evidence of transmission through water vapour/aerosol droplets or through consumption of contaminated water. The first case of its infection has been registered in South Korea.