The Oklahoma State Department of Health has said a swimmer has died after coming into contact with a rare amoeba in a lake.
Spokesman Tony Sellars says the department was notified early Wednesday that the adult swimmer died of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis after visiting the lake late last week.
The rare and usually deadly disease is caused by Naegleria fowleri, a single-cell organism that is naturally present in most lakes, ponds and rivers. The amoeba multiplies rapidly in very warm and stagnant water.
When swimmers dive or submerge their heads in contaminated water, the amoeba travels up the nose to the brain, where it destroys tissue.
Seven cases of the disease have been recorded in Oklahoma since 1998.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.