BEDFORD, Iowa —The beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park has been closed because a swimmer died from a brain-eating amoeba that entered his system, probably through the nose. The disease, Naegleria fowleri, is rare and found generally in fresh water lakes only in Southern states. Lake of Three Fires Park comprises 85 acres in southwest Iowa. Only the beach is closed. Scientists have begun testing to assess whether the lake can be safe again.
Lake of Three Waters. Park has 117 camp sites and a few cabins.
Disease profile
Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic single-celled free-living ameba that can cause a rare life-threatening infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Since 1962, only 154 known cases have been identified in the United States. Infections can occur if water containing the ameba enters the body through the nose. The ameba travels up the nose to the brain where they destroy brain tissue. This infection cannot be spread from one person to another. Nor can it be contracted by swallowing contaminated water.