Last month a Georgia teenager died after contracting the Naegleria fowleri infection from swimming in a lake near her home in McDuffie County.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this amoeba is naturally occurring and "thrives in heat and likes warm water."
It's found in warm, fresh water and it is commonly known as a "brain-eating amoeba" for how deadly it can be.
"It's definitely something to fear for," Savannah Matthews said.
Mathews is a mom to a four-year-old boy and tries to come out to the lake every single weekend to swim and fish as a family.
She enjoyed making the same memories at Lake Tobesofkee when she was a little girl.
Matthews said she recently saw the story about the Georgia girl who died from the ameboma on the news. It's been a wake-up call for her.
That being said, North Central Health District's Public Information Officer Michael Hokanson said it's good to be aware of what the amoeba is, but it shouldn't make people live in fear.
He hopes people know that while it is tragic to contract this amoeba because there's no cure, it's not common. According to the CDC, from 2013 to 2022, 29 infections were reported in the United States.
The main thing Hokanson wants people to know is that this ameboma travels to the brain through the nose. It cannot get to the brain by swallowing water, which is why he recommends not dunking your head.
"Make sure that you're keeping your head above water as much as possible when you're in any of these environments that might have this amoeba present," Hokanson said.
He said if you must dunk your head under the water, plug your nose or wear nose plugs.
He also said to avoid digging in, or stirring up sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers, because that's where the amoeba can potentially live.
According to the CDC, infections usually happen when temperatures are hot. They are most likely to occur during July, August and September.
