A study just found brain-eating amoeba in 2 popular U.S. national parks. Here's what you need to know

"Researchers took 185 water samples from five popular U.S. national parks, looking at "40 thermally impacted recreational waters" at Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Olympic National Park, and Newberry National Volcanic Monument over an eight year period from 2016 to 2024."

"What they found revealed widespread detection of Naegleria fowleri (dubbed "brain-eating amoeba") in 34% of the samples, or 63 specimens, at Yellowstone, Lake Mead, and Grand Teton hot springs and thermally impacted waters. However, the brain-eating amoeba was not found at Olympic National Park or Newberry National Volcanic Monument."

"It's called the "brain-eating amoeba" because it can infect and destroy brain tissue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While brain infections caused by Naegleria fowleri are quite rare, they are nearly always fatal, at a rate of 98%."

"If water containing the amoeba goes up a person's nose into the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM. Typically, fewer than 10 people a year in the U.S. get PAM. However, almost everyone who gets PAM dies from it, per the CDC: Out of 167 reported cases of PAM in the U.S. between 1962 to 2024, only four people survived."

Researchers collected 185 water samples from five U.S. national parks over eight years, focusing on thermally impacted recreational waters. Naegleria fowleri was detected in 34% of samples, totaling 63 specimens, at Yellowstone, Lake Mead, and Grand Teton hot springs and thermally impacted waters. No detections occurred at Olympic National Park or Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater and can infect brain tissue, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM is rare in the United States but is nearly always fatal. No infections or deaths were reported at the sites where the amoeba was detected.

Read at Fast Company