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Health officials in Missouri say a resident has contracted a lab-confirmed case of what is commonly known as "brain-eating" amoeba, and the individual had been at the Lake of the Ozarks before falling ill. Officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced an adult Missouri resident has been diagnosed with a lab-confirmed case of Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic single-celled free-living amoeba that can cause a rare, deadly infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).It is more commonly known as a "brain-eating" amoeba and the "brain-eating" infection. The patient is currently in the intensive care unit of an undisclosed Missouri hospital receiving treatment for PAM. Officials added that while the source of the patient's exposure is currently being investigated by public health officials, preliminary information suggests the patient may have been water skiing at the Lake of the Ozarks days before falling ill. MDHSS officials said the amoeba is common and naturally present in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers and ponds. However, the illness, PAM, is extremely rare. There have only been 167 cases reported in the United States since 1962. Officials added that recreational water users should assume Naegleria fowleri is present in warm freshwater across the United States. They emphasize that infection remains very rare.Individuals become infected when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose from freshwater sources. The amoeba can travel up the nose to the brain, where it damages brain tissue.The infection cannot be spread person-to-person, and it cannot be contracted by swallowing contaminated water. Health officials say you can reduce your risk of infection by limiting the amount of water that goes up your nose by holding your nose shut, using nose clips, or keeping your head above water when taking part in activities in warm freshwater. You're also advised to avoid digging in or stirring up sediment in shallow, warm freshwater. Anyone with the following symptoms after swimming in any warm body of water is urged to contact their health care provider quickly, as the disease progresses rapidly:Severe headacheFeverNauseaVomitingStiff NeckSeizuresAltered mental statusHallucinationsOfficials said this is the only known case in Missouri that is currently being treated.Anyone wishing to learn more about Naegleria fowleri can visit the CDC's webpage here.