Woman dies of brain-eating amoeba after using tap water in nasal rinse device

A pistillate successful Texas has died aft contracting a fatal brain amoeba from contaminated water.

The patient, 71, had utilized a nasal irrigation instrumentality filled with unboiled pat h2o from an RV’s h2o faucet, according to an alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The "previously healthy" pistillate was staying astatine a section campground astatine the time, the bureau stated.

DANGEROUS FUNGUS COULD SPREAD TO PARTS OF US, RESEARCHERS CLAIM

Within 4 days of utilizing the nasal rinse, the pistillate developed "severe neurologic symptoms," including fever, headache and altered mental status. 

The diligent was treated for a imaginable corruption of superior amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare, deadly brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, besides known arsenic the brain-eating amoeba.

The pistillate was treated for a imaginable corruption of superior amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare, deadly encephalon corruption caused by Naegleria fowleri, besides known arsenic the brain-eating amoeba. (iStock)

Despite treatment, the pistillate began having seizures and died 8 days aft symptoms began.

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

"This lawsuit reinforces the imaginable for superior wellness risks associated with improper usage of nasal irrigation devices, arsenic good arsenic the value of maintaining RV h2o prime and ensuring that municipal h2o systems adhere to regulatory standards," the wellness bureau stated.

"Fewer than 10 radical successful the U.S. each twelvemonth get infected — but unfortunately, astir cases are fatal."

Naegleria fowleri tin besides beryllium a hazard erstwhile swimming successful caller water. It is much prevalent during hotter months, arsenic the amoeba grows champion successful precocious aerial and h2o temperatures.

Fox News Digital antecedently spoke with Tammy Lundstrom, main aesculapian serviceman and infectious illness specializer for Trinity Health successful Michigan, astir the risks of infection.

The diligent had utilized a nasal irrigation instrumentality (not pictured) filled with unboiled pat h2o from an RV’s h2o faucet. (iStock)

"The hazard of brain-eating amoeba is precise low," she said. "Fewer than 10 radical successful the U.S. each twelvemonth get infected — but unfortunately, astir cases are fatal. There are lone a fistful of survivors of known cases."

The decease complaint for Naegleria fowleri exceeds 97%, per the CDC.

Warning signs to recognize

The archetypal symptoms of PAM usually statesman astir 5 days aft exposure, but they tin beryllium noticed sooner.

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

As the corruption progresses, radical whitethorn acquisition confusion, stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and coma.

DANGEROUS FUNGUS SPREADING IN US HOSPITALS HAS ‘RAPIDLY INCREASED'

"People usually commencement to consciousness sick 1 to 12 days aft h2o exposure," Lundstrom said. "Early symptoms should prompt a aesculapian evaluation, arsenic they are besides signs of bacterial meningitis."

Death tin hap anyplace betwixt 1 and 18 days of infection, astatine an mean of 5 days.

Prevention of infection

To forestall contracting the fatal infection, the CDC recommends utilizing "distilled, sterile oregon boiled and cooled pat h2o for nasal irrigation," arsenic "improperly maintained" municipal h2o and RV h2o systems transportation the hazard of disease.

It is besides champion to debar immersing your caput successful the h2o erstwhile swimming successful summer, Lundstrom told Fox News Digital.

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

"Infection occurs erstwhile h2o harboring the amoeba goes up a person’s nose, usually during swimming," she said. "It is not known wherefore immoderate radical get infected and others, adjacent swimming companions, bash not."

Drinking contaminated h2o does not contiguous a risk, and the corruption does not dispersed from 1 idiosyncratic to another, Lundstrom added.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Because the amoeba is recovered successful soil, the CDC besides recommends avoiding stirring up the sediment astatine the bottommost of lakes, ponds and rivers.

Treatment of brain-eating amoebas

When a diligent has been diagnosed with a brain-eating amoeba, attraction usually includes a assortment of antifungal medications, arsenic good arsenic antibiotics similar rifampin and azithromycin, according to Lundstrom. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Miltefosine, a newer antifungal drug, has been shown to termination Nagleria fowleri successful laboratory tests and was utilized to dainty immoderate surviving patients, the CDC states connected its website.

"However, the effect of each of these drugs connected existent infected radical is chartless owed to the precocious fatality rate," Lundstrom noted.

Naegleria fowleri tin besides beryllium a hazard erstwhile swimming successful caller water. It is much prevalent during hotter months, arsenic the amoeba grows champion successful precocious aerial and h2o temperatures. (iStock)

Those who acquisition abrupt headache, fever, stiff cervix oregon vomiting — particularly if they person precocious been swimming successful lukewarm freshwater — should question contiguous medical attention, the CDC recommends.

For much Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

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

"Millions of radical bask swimming each summer, but lone a fewer go infected," she said.