Arizona has had at least nine confirmed cases of the so-called “brain-eating amoeba,” according to CDC figures covering 1962 to 2022, and nearly all infections are fatal. The amoeba is called Naegleria fowleri. It lives in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs, and in the sediment at the bottom. Infection happens when water enters the body through the nose, usually while swimming or diving. The CDC says it does not spread from person to person, and swallowing contaminated water does not cause it. Infections are rare, but about 97% have been fatal. Arizona has seen confirmed exposures before. A case in 2007 was linked to Lake Havasu, and in 2022 a Nevada teen was infected after exposure on the Arizona side of Lake Mead. In October 2023, a suspected case in Mohave County tested negative. State health officials say the risk is highest in warm weather, especially July through September, and advise against jumping or diving into warm freshwater and against stirring up se...