Rare waterborne threat requires caution in Brazos basin

Judi Pearce is the public information officer for the Brazos River Authority.

Summer has arrived, bringing with it higher temperatures and warmer water. To keep cool, many people will spend time on a lake, in a river or at a water park. However, before heading out, everyone should be aware of the potential exposure to a rare threat that exists in all surface water and how to avoid it.

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, is caused by a rare amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, that lives in surface water and sediment. It’s only a threat if water containing the amoeba is forced up the nasal passage.