this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2025
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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.

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[–] SculptusPoe@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I have heard of getting brain eating amoebas, mostly from swimming in lakes or still water. I think this is the first time I've heard about them coming from using a nettle pot. Looking it up, it looks like a lot of cases come from nettle pots, but "a lot" is relative. There are only a dozen or so cases a year from any source. I still wonder if any of those cases really come from city water or if they are from well and cistern water like this lady used. Either way, following the instructions that come with the pot would have saved those people.

[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 5 points 4 days ago

They theoretically could come from tap water. Reservoirs of treated water can be open to the atmosphere, and accessible to wildlife. Chlorine and dilution mitigate most of the risk, but not all of it.