498
submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

The woman contracted a fatal infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba and died eight days after developing symptoms.

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.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] [email protected] 146 points 1 day ago

So not just tap water but her RVs tap water. The attempt at scare-mongering - tap water - like it could happen to anyone is annoying.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

It could, with warming temperatures the bacteria is moving north. Showing up in areas unfamiliar with it

But you’re way more likely to get it by swimming and just don’t pour water up your nose

load more comments (29 replies)
this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2025
498 points (95.8% liked)

Health - Resources and discussion for everything health-related

3117 readers
665 users here now

Health: physical and mental, individual and public.

Discussions, issues, resources, news, everything.

See the pinned post for a long list of other communities dedicated to health or specific diagnoses. The list is continuously updated.

Nothing here shall be taken as medical or any other kind of professional advice.

Commercial advertising is considered spam and not allowed. If you're not sure, contact mods to ask beforehand.

Linked videos without original description context by OP to initiate healthy, constructive discussions will be removed.

Regular rules of lemmy.world apply. Be civil.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS