The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that a Texas woman died from an infection linked to an amoeba after using tap water for sinus irrigation, which ultimately led to brain damage Case report.
The 71-year-old woman, who was otherwise healthy, experienced severe neurological symptoms, including fever, headache, and altered mental status, four days after using tap water from the RV’s water system to fill her nasal irrigation device at a Texas campground.
She received treatment for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba.” Despite medical intervention, she suffered a seizure and succumbed to the infection eight days post-symptom onset, according to the CDC.
Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the amoeba in the woman’s cerebrospinal fluid.
The CDC noted that while infections commonly occur after recreational water use, using undistilled water for sinus irrigation is also a significant risk factor for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
A survey conducted by the agency revealed that although the woman had not been recently exposed to freshwater, she had used non-boiled water from the RV’s drinking water tap for nasal irrigation multiple times prior to her illness.
According to the survey findings, the RV’s drinking water tanks were filled and potentially contained contaminated water before the RV was purchased three months earlier. The investigation concluded that contamination could have originated from local government water systems linked to the drinking water systems and bypassing the tanks.
The agency underscores the importance of using distilled, sterilized, or previously boiled and cooled tap water for nasal irrigation to lower the risk of infection or illness.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
