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A South Carolina patient has been confirmed to have naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that can infect the brain, the Centers for Disease Control said.“The exposure is thought to have occurred on July 24 while the individual was swimming near Martin’s Landing on the Edisto River in Charleston County," said Dr. Linda Bell, and the state epidemiologist."This organism occurs naturally and is all around us and is present in many warm-water lakes, rivers and streams, but infection in humans is very rare. In fact, there have been fewer than 40 cases reported nationwide in the past 10 years.”Officials said a drug used to treat patients fighting the so-called "brain-eating" amoeba was brought to Charleston overnight Tuesday.The CEO of the drug company, Profunda said the drug was brought from Orlando, Florida.Todd MacLaughlan of the drug company Profunda said a call came into his office at 10:30 last night and he went in to make sure the patient had the medicine.He said the medication miltefosine was driven by courier on the six-hour trip to Charleston.The Department of Health said the amoeba is rare, but people can get it from warm, untreated water.Families who have lost children to the amoeba are fighting to have hospitals keep the experimental medication on hand. MacLaughlan said two Texas hospitals stock it, as well as one here in Columbia.Dr. Bell said that infection from Naeglaria fowleri is extremely difficult to contract, requiring very specific circumstances.“First, you must be swimming in water in which the amoeba is present,” she said. “Second, you must jump into the amoeba-containing water feet first, allowing the water to go up your nose with enough force that the amoeba can make its way to the brain. Most commonly, exposure results in the amoeba dying before causing infection.“You should avoid swimming or jumping into bodies of fresh water when the water is warm and the water levels are low. Also, you should either hold your nose or use a nose plug. You cannot be infected by merely drinking water containing the amoeba,” Dr. Bell said.The best way to avoid Naeglaria fowleri is through prevention:· Avoid water-related activities in warm, untreated or poorly treated water· Hold your nose closed or use nose clips when taking part in water-related activities.· Avoid digging in or stirring up sediment surrounding warm fresh water.Salt water, like the ocean, does not contain Naegleria fowleri. For more information about Naegleria fowleri, visit http://www.scdhec.gov/Health/DiseasesandConditions/InfectiousDiseases/InsectAnimalBorne/ameoba/.Copyright 2016 WCSC. All rights reserved.