A tragic incident has occurred in Texas where a 71-year-old woman died after contracting a rare and deadly brain infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the infection was linked to the woman’s use of tap water in a nasal irrigation device while camping.
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How Did the Infection Happen?
According to the CDC, the woman was healthy before this incident. She developed serious neurological symptoms, including fever, headache, and confusion, just four days after cleaning her sinuses with tap water from her RV’s water system at a campsite in Texas. The infection was later diagnosed as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a severe brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba.
This type of amoeba is typically found in warm freshwater environments, like lakes or hot springs, but it can also exist in untreated water, like tap water. When the amoeba enters the body through the nose, it can travel to the brain, causing life-threatening damage.
Symptoms and Outcome
After developing the initial symptoms, the woman was treated for the infection but continued to experience seizures. Sadly, she passed away eight days after the onset of her symptoms. Lab tests confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in her cerebrospinal fluid, confirming the cause of the infection.
Risk Factors and Prevention
The CDC highlighted that while infections from Naegleria fowleri are rare, they can occur during recreational water activities, such as swimming in warm lakes or rivers. However, it is also important to note that using non-distilled tap water for sinus cleaning or irrigation can increase the risk of developing PAM. The CDC urges individuals to use only sterile, distilled, or boiled water for nasal irrigation to avoid similar risks.
This tragic event serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of using untreated water for nasal irrigation. While such infections are extremely rare, they can be deadly, and the CDC advises everyone to take proper precautions to prevent exposure to harmful pathogens.
