Health officials in Minnesota report that a child has become critically ill with a highly rare form of brain infection after swimming in lake in Pope County.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said the patient developed a rare case of meningitis known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The illness is caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, which is typically found in warm, freshwater regions.

The Naegleria fowleri infects the human body by entering through the nose, often while swimming in amoeba-infested bodies of water. The organism, however, cannot be transmitted through drinking contaminated water.

Once contracted, the amoeba causes severe infections on the individual's brain which could lead to death.

Trisha Robinson, supervisor for the MDH's Waterborne Diseases Unit, said that they are unable to provide additional details regarding the condition of the infected child because of privacy of laws.

Common symptoms of primary amebic meningoencephalitis include vomiting, headaches and nausea that typically sets in about five days after being exposed to the amoeba.

Naegleria only poses a very low risk of infection to people, according to Robinson, but there are a few ways to reduce the likelihood of exposure to the potentially-fatal organism.

"While the only sure way to prevent PAM is to avoid participation in freshwater-related activities, you can reduce your risk by keeping your head out of the water, using nose clips or holding the nose shut, and avoiding stirring up sediment at the bottom of shallow freshwater areas," Robinson said.

The latest Naegleria infection marks the first reported case in Minnesota since a nine-year-old boy died from the illness after taking a swim in Stillwater's Lily Lake back in 2012.

A seven-year-old girl also succumbed to complications brought on by the infection in 2010. She reportedly swam in a shallow lake which was contaminated with the Naegleria fowleri amoeba.

Naegleria can be found in different parts of the world, but infections caused by the organism are very rare.

There have only been 40 known cases of Naegleria infections in the United States, between 2001 and 2011. Almost all of these reported cases occurred in the South.

The infection had not been detected in regions north of Missouri prior to the case in Minnesota in 2010.

Photo: Vicki Watkins | Flickr