A 71-year-old woman from Texas has passed away after contracting a rare yet lethal brain infection associated with a nasal irrigation device, as reported by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The woman, who had been in good health prior to this incident, exhibited severe neurological symptoms just days after using water from an RV’s supply to rinse her sinuses at a campground in Texas. The water, which had not undergone boiling or sterilization, was likely contaminated with Naegleria fowleri, commonly referred to as the brain-eating amoeba. The CDC reported that the woman began to show symptoms such as fever, headache, and confusion within four days of utilizing the nasal rinse. Despite receiving treatment for primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), the infection advanced swiftly. She experienced seizures and succumbed to the illness eight days after the initial symptoms emerged.
PAM is an exceedingly rare but nearly always fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that typically enters the body through the nose when individuals swim or bathe in warm freshwater. It can also infect those who use tap or untreated water for nasal rinsing. Although the amoeba was not directly detected in the RV’s water system, the CDC indicated that the water was “inadequately disinfected.” This case serves as a warning about the importance of using only sterile, distilled, or properly boiled and cooled water for nasal irrigation.The CDC has documented just 164 PAM infections in the US between 1962 and 2023. Only four people have survived. Health officials advise the public to avoid using untreated tap water for sinus rinses and to be cautious when swimming in warm freshwater lakes or hot springs, where the amoeba thrives.
