ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KTVI) — An adult in Missouri has died after they became infected with a brain-eating amoeba earlier this month, officials have confirmed.

The person, who has not been publicly identified, was diagnosed with Naegleria fowleri on August 13, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said. While the case was being investigated, officials reported that they believe the patient contracted the infection, commonly referred to as a "brain-eating amoeba," while water skiing in Lake of the Ozarks.

On Wednesday, health officials reported the patient had died at a St. Louis-area hospital.

Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism primarily found in warm freshwater and soil, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 1962 and last year, only 1

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