A 71-year-old Texas woman has died of a rare and deadly brain infection, contracted after using unboiled tap water to perform nasal washes. The cause is the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, known as the “brain-eating amoeba,” which caused the woman’s death eight days after the onset of symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which conducted the investigation into the case, confirmed the presence of the amoeba in the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid. According to the report, the woman was initially diagnosed with suspected primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Despite treatment, she developed seizures, which culminated in her death.
Experts explain that it is a fairly widespread single-celled organism that lives in freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs. “If water containing the amoeba enters the nose and reaches the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM),” the CDC said. Symptoms include fever, headache and altered mental status.
Health authorities point out that fewer than 10 people a year contract PAM, but the mortality rate is close to 100 percent. That is why they recommend using only distilled, sterilized or previously boiled and cooled water for nasal washes. Also, it is important to wear paranasal clips and keep your head out of the water when diving into lakes or hot springs.
