Fig. 1

Infection of humans by Naegleria fowleri. (a) N. fowleri is found in warm fresh waters, (b) living primarily as an amoeboid trophozoite but also showing flagellate and cyst forms. If water containing N. fowleri enters the human nose (c), the trophozoite can opportunistically infect. (d) After passing through the cribriform plate (light-brown) (e), the amoeba phagocytoses brain material in a process of piece-meal ingestion called trogocytosis. (f) While treatable by a therapeutic cocktail if detected early, N. fowleri infection has an ~ 97% death rate