Texas woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after cleaning sinuses with tap water
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A Texas woman died from an infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba days after she cleaned her sinuses using tap water, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case report.
The woman, an otherwise healthy 71-year-old, developed "severe neurologic symptoms," including fever, headache and an altered mental status, four days after she filled a nasal irrigation device with tap water from her RV's water system at a Texas campsite, the CDC report said.
She was treated for primary amebic meningoencephalitis — a brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba." Despite treatment, the woman experienced seizures and died from the infection eight days after she developed symptoms, the agency said.
Lab tests confirmed the amoeba in the woman's cerebrospinal fluid, according to the report.
The CDC said the infection usually occurs after "recreational water activities" but noted that cleaning sinuses with non-distilled water is also a risk factor for developing primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
An investigation conducted by the agency found that the woman had not recently been exposed to fresh water but had performed the nasal irrigation using non-boiled water from the RV's potable water faucet "on several occasions" before her illness.
The potable water tank, the investigation found, was filled before the woman bought the RV three months ago and could have contained contaminated water. The investigation also concluded that the municipal water system, which was connected to the potable water system and bypassed the tank, could have caused the contamination.
The agency stressed the importance of using distilled, sterilized or boiled and cooled tap water when people perform nasal irrigation to reduce the risk of infection and illness.
.
Tags
Who is online
79 visitors
"The agency stressed the importance of using distilled, sterilized or boiled and cooled tap water when people perform nasal irrigation to reduce the risk of infection and illness."
I never thought about performing nasal irrigation, but that is good to know.
It works.
Do not use water from an RV park.
I feel like we shouldn't need to say that.
Or Tijuana..
I lived in texas on and off for 6 years. nobody I knew ever drank the tap water, it even smelled bad. I had my father set to enter a VA home in west texas, but shortly before, a gov't water test of the spring feeding the hospital revealed contamination by dangerous levels of fracking chemicals. parts of the housing wings had to be shut down until an additional filtration system could be installed.
I use a sinus irrigator now and then during The Pollening and ragweed season, but I always boil the water for a few minutes.
... uh, ... you snort boiling water?
I'm that tough.
You let the water cool. For a longer time than you'd think necessary. I won't make that mistake again.
no comment ...
I swear, my fingers were sure it was just a smidge above room temp. My inflamed sinus cavities disagreed vehemently.
an even more emphatic no comment ...
I use it to kill the ticks on my coin purse from time to time.
fucking hell, why is everybody in here tossing me softballs ...
Evening...huh?? Translate please....
(Balls) LOL
bollocks, yarbles ...
Yam sack.
Morning..yep I knew it.. thought it would be something along those lines..drongos...