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.

    • Romkslrqusz@lemm.ee
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      25 days ago

      US, but I don’t know that should matter. Even in France, water comes from a variety of sources and boiling / using distilled water eliminates risk, no matter how small.

      In my family’s commune (France), there’s a lot of calcium in the tap water - such that you could actually feel it on your skin and in your hair after a shower, appliances like the coffee maker got crusty deposits with use. My grandmother only drank bottled water, I wouldn’t put that through my sinuses even if it were boiled.

      • Valmond@lemmy.world
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        25 days ago

        Well, regulations are important, I wouldn’t drink indian tap water but I’d clean my nasal cavities with swedish tap water without a thought.

        It’s probably more to it like how hot it is too. And not letting it sitting around in some plastic container like in the article 😵‍💫.

        On a side note, yeah lots of bottled water here, better than soda I guess. Personlly I have a soda stream machine.