A Texas woman has tragically died from Naegleria fowleri, a rare and deadly brain-eating amoeba, after using tap water to rinse her sinuses. The 71-year-old, who was previously healthy, used a nasal irrigation device filled with water from an RV’s water system at a campground in Texas. Four days later, she began experiencing severe symptoms such as fever, headache, and altered mental status. Despite medical treatment, her condition worsened, leading to seizures and ultimately death 8 days after symptoms began.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that Naegleria fowleri was found in her cerebrospinal fluid. The amoeba causes a rare but often fatal infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), with only four known survivors out of 164 cases in the U.S. since 1962.
Naegleria fowleri is typically found in warm fresh waters like lakes, rivers, and hot springs, but can also live in poorly maintained or minimally chlorinated swimming pools. The infection occurs when contaminated water enters the body through the nose, which is what likely happened in this case.
Symptoms usually begin within one to nine days of exposure and include severe headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, followed by stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations, and a coma. The CDC notes that using tap water for nasal irrigation, especially without proper treatment, poses a significant health risk.
Health officials recommend using distilled or sterile water for nasal rinsing. Tap water can only be used if boiled for at least 1 minute and then cooled. Using a Brita water filter is not enough, as it does not sterilize the water.
This tragic case serves as a reminder of the importance of safe nasal irrigation practices and ensuring proper water quality in RVs and municipal systems.
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