A stark new warning claims the climate crisis is exacerbating the spread of the brain-eating amoeba that killed a child last month.
The rare organism can enter the body through the nose when in the water, where it then travels up and into the brain causing severe damage after it starts to destroy tissue.
Experts believe climate change is encouraging the amoeba to 'pop up' in parts of America where it has not been seen before.
Last month, the deadly Naegleria fowleri killed an unnamed child who went for a dip in the Elkhorn River in Nebraska. The youngster developed symptoms five days later.
They contracted an infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis and were admitted to the hospital within 48 hours after the onset of symptoms and died 10 days on, according to Douglas County Health Department.
Naegleria grows best in waters with temperatures usually above 30C.
The brain-swelling single-cell organisms often thrive in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, canals and ponds and as the world gets warmer, more and more cases are expected.
Yun Shen, an environmental engineer at the University of California Riverside, told The Guardian that the ever-warming climate poses a serious problem.
“In the drought areas, the pathogens will be concentrated in the water bodies, which could increase the exposure dose of pathogens when humans are in close contact with the water bodies,” the expert explained.
“In the future, due to climate change, people living in cold regions might also be exposed to warmer weather and higher chances of being exposed to pathogens."
Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, added: “As the temperature of surface waters increases further north, we expect more cases in the future.
“I would expect this trend to continue.”
Infections are currently extremely rare with around 31 reported in the US in the last 10 years. However, the fatality rate is around 97 per cent.
“Millions of recreational water exposures occur each year, while only 0 to 8 Naegleria fowleri infections are identified each year,” Nebraska state epidemiologist Matthew Donahue said in a statement last month.
The Elkhorn River was not closed but people have been urged to wear nose plugs if they swim in the river.
Earlier this summer, a person in Missouri contracted the same infection after swimming at the beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park in Iowa.
Caleb Ziegelbaue, 13, was hospitalised in Florida in July after contracting a deadly brain-eating amoeba and has been taken off his ventilator but is still fighting for his life.
His aunt Katie Chiet posted on a GoFundMe page raising money for his treatment.
"His MRI scan continues to show damage in his brain but we remain hopeful that he'll turn the corner soon and make his way back to us!" The page said.
