Texas woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using nasal irrigation device

A woman in Texas has died after contracting a fatal brain amoeba from contaminated water.

The patient, 71, had used a nasal irrigation device filled with unboiled tap water from an RV’s water faucet, according to an alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The “previously healthy” woman was staying at a local campground at the time, the agency stated.

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Within four days of using the nasal rinse, the woman developed “severe neurologic symptoms,” including fever, headache and altered mental status. 

The patient was treated for a potential infection of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare, deadly brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba.

Despite treatment, the woman began having seizures and died eight days after symptoms began.

Testing of the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid confirmed she had contracted N. fowleri, according to the CDC.

“This case reinforces the potential for serious health risks associated with improper use of nasal irrigation devices, as well as the importance of maintaining RV water quality and ensuring that municipal water systems adhere to regulatory standards,” the health agency stated.

“Fewer than 10 people in the U.S. every year get infected — but unfortunately, most cases are fatal.”

Naegleria fowleri can also be a risk when swimming in fresh water. It is more prevalent during hotter months, as the amoeba grows best in high air and water temperatures.

Fox News Digital previously spoke with Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer and infectious disease specialist for Trinity Health in Michigan, about the risks of infection.

“The risk of brain-eating amoeba is very low,” she said. “Fewer than 10 people in the U.S. every year get infected — but unfortunately, most cases are fatal. There are only a handful of survivors of known cases.”

The death rate for Naegleria fowleri exceeds 97%, per the CDC.

Warning signs to recognize

The initial symptoms of PAM usually begin about five days after exposure, but they can be noticed sooner.

Early signs usually include headache, nausea, fever and/or vomiting, the CDC’s website states.

As the infection progresses, people may experience confusion, stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and coma.

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“People usually start to feel ill one to 12 days after water exposure,” Lundstrom said. “Early symptoms should prompt a medical evaluation, as they are also signs of bacterial meningitis.”

Death can occur anywhere between one and 18 days of infection, at an average of five days.

Prevention of infection

To prevent contracting the fatal infection, the CDC recommends using “distilled, sterile or boiled and cooled tap water for nasal irrigation,” as “improperly maintained” municipal water and RV water systems carry the risk of disease.

It is also best to avoid immersing your head in the water when swimming in summer, Lundstrom told Fox News Digital.

“Infection occurs when water harboring the amoeba goes up a person’s nose, usually during swimming,” she said. “It is not known why some people get infected and others, even swimming companions, do not.”

Drinking contaminated water does not present a risk, and the infection does not spread from one person to another, Lundstrom added.

Because the amoeba is found in soil, the CDC also recommends avoiding stirring up the sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers.

Treatment of brain-eating amoebas

When a patient has been diagnosed with a brain-eating amoeba, treatment usually includes a variety of antifungal medications, as well as antibiotics like rifampin and azithromycin, according to Lundstrom. 

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Miltefosine, a newer antifungal drug, has been shown to kill Nagleria fowleri in laboratory tests and was used to treat some surviving patients, the CDC states on its website.

“However, the effect of all of these drugs on actual infected people is unknown due to the high fatality rate,” Lundstrom noted.

Those who experience sudden headache, fever, stiff neck or vomiting — especially if they have recently been swimming in warm freshwater — should seek immediate medical attention, the CDC recommends.

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Despite the infection’s high fatality rate, Lundstrom emphasized the rarity of cases. 

“Millions of people enjoy swimming every summer, but only a few become infected,” she said.