Texas Woman Dies from Brain-Eating Amoeba After Using Tap Water for Sinus Rinse
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
A 71-year-old woman in Texas has died from a rare and often fatal brain infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), after using tap water from an RV’s water system to rinse her sinuses, health officials confirmed.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the infection was caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly referred to as a brain-eating amoeba. The woman, who had no underlying health conditions, developed symptoms including fever, headache, and altered mental status within four days of using a nasal irrigation device with untreated tap water.
Despite medical intervention, her condition rapidly worsened. Eight days after symptom onset, she suffered seizures and died, according to the CDC’s case report.
The infection was linked to water used for the sinus rinse that originated from a recreational vehicle (RV) water system at a campground in Texas. Health officials stress that nasal rinsing should only be done with sterile, distilled, or previously boiled and cooled water to prevent such infections.
Naegleria fowleri is commonly found in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The amoeba infects individuals when contaminated water enters the nose, traveling to the brain where it causes severe inflammation and tissue destruction. The infection does not occur from swallowing contaminated water or from person-to-person transmission.
While PAM is extremely rare, the CDC warns that proper precautions should always be taken, especially during activities in warm freshwater. The agency recommends using nose clips or keeping the head above water when swimming or diving in lakes, rivers, or hot springs, and ensuring pools and splash pads are properly chlorinated.
This tragic incident underscores the importance of water safety when performing nasal irrigation and during exposure to untreated freshwater sources.
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