A Texas woman has died after being infected with a brain-eating amoeba, an organism that, though rare, is typically fatal once contracted. Federal health officials say the infection likely occurred after the woman used tap water to rinse her sinuses.
CDC: Infection Likely Came from Unboiled Water
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the source of the infection remains unknown, but officials believe it likely came from unboiled water the woman used at an RV campground. The CDC stated the woman had been healthy before the infection.
Rare Infection Commonly Linked to Water Exposure
The brain-eating amoeba is most commonly associated with recreational water activities or nasal irrigation practices. As noted in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, “The brain-eating amoeba, though rare, is typically fatal once contracted. It’s most commonly associated with recreational water activities or nasal irrigation practices.”
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Precautionary Measures Recommended by CDC
The CDC recommends several precautionary steps to help prevent infection:
- “When rinsing the sinuses, only use distilled or properly boiled tap water to eliminate potential contaminants.”
- For those swimming in freshwater, the CDC advises: “holding your nose or wearing a nose clip when jumping or diving, keeping your head above water in hot springs, and avoiding digging in shallow water where the amoeba is more likely to be present.”
