The Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba, which is a one-celled organism that thrives in warm fresh water like lakes, rivers and hot springs, the CDC states. It is usually called the brain-eating amoeba because it can infect and destroy brain tissue. Infections from the amoeba are rare but nearly always fatal.

Rare cases of Naegleria fowleri can result in a severe infection in the brain, with infection fatal in around 95% of cases.

While Vibrio vulnificus thrives in brackish water, freshwater presents a different but equally rare threat: Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba.

The Climate Connection With the Rise of Amoeba Naegleria fowleri is not a new thing. What's changing is its frequency and the occurrence. Recent studies suggest that global warming is creating the perfect conditions for this deadly organism to thrive. Environment that favors growth are,