Naegleria /nā·glēr′ē·ə/ [F.P.O. Nägler, 20th-century Austrian bacteriologist] , a genus of free-living protozoa, found in freshwater, soil, and sewage, that have both an ameboid and a flagellate stage in their life cycle. Certain species, especially N. fowleri, are capable of facultative parasitism, and some strains are highly pathogenic and may cause a highly fatal primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Infection is usually acquired by swimming in water contaminated with the organisms. See also primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
