A woman in Texas passed away after being infected by a brain-eating amoeba that came from tap water used in a nasal irrigation device. The 71-year-old, who has not been named, began experiencing health issues just four days after using the device with water from an RV at a campground last year.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released on May 29, indicated that she suffered from fever, headaches, and altered mental status, eventually leading to seizures and her death eight days after symptoms appeared. The report did not disclose the exact location of the campground or the date of her passing.
Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in her cerebrospinal fluid. This organism is responsible for a severe and often fatal infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
The CDC noted, “This case underscores the serious health risks linked with improper use of nasal cleaning devices, as well as the necessity to ensure water quality in RVs and municipal systems meet safety standards.”
Typically, Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm freshwater environments like lakes and hot springs, especially in southern states during warm months. In rare instances, infections have been reported from poorly chlorinated swimming pools or contaminated tap water used for sinus irrigation. Therefore, public health experts recommend using distilled, sterilized, or boiled and cooled tap water for nasal rinsing.
Although fewer than ten cases are documented in the U.S. annually, these infections are generally fatal. Out of 164 total cases recorded between 1963 and 2020, only four individuals have survived.
A notable case occurred in 2021 when a three-year-old boy named Bakari Williams died after swimming at a splash pad in Arlington. His family later settled a lawsuit against the city, which then took steps to enhance safety protocols and training for employees.
More recently, in 2023, a Travis County resident died from an amoebic infection following a swim in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson.
