In Floridain the United States of Americaa man died after being infected with the Naegleria fowleril’brain-eating amoeba.
As reported by CNNthe infection may have been caused by “sinus rinsing practices using thetap water“, according to a press release from Florida Department of Health, released in February to warn the public about the infection. In practice, the man used to wash his nose with tap water and thus the contamination occurred.
Yesterday, Thursday March 2, the Department confirmed that the infected person is dead and the authorities are investigating the case. “An epidemiological investigation is underway to understand the unique circumstances of this infection. I can confirm that the infection unfortunately led to death, and any additional information on this case is confidential to protect patient privacy,” he said. Jae Williamsspokesperson for the Florida Department of Health.
“Use only distilled water for nasal washes”
According to the note, infection with Naegleria fowleri “can only occur when water contaminated by amoebas enters the body through the nose”.
The Florida Department of Health has, therefore, warned residents to use only distilled or sterile water to prepare solutions for nasal washes. Tap water should also be boiled for at least one minute and cooled before use.
In fact, unsterilized tap water is not safe to use as a nasal rinse since it is not adequately filtered or treated, and therefore may contain low levels of microorganisms, such as bacteria and protozoa, including amoebas, as stated in the FDA website (Food and Drug Administration). However, you can’t get infected by drinking tap water, because stomach acids usually kill those organisms.
What is the brain-eating amoeba?
The brain-eating amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) is a type of highly harmful amoeba that can cause a rare and potentially fatal disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). This amoeba is commonly found in freshwater environments such as ponds, rivers and lakes around the world, but can also be found in poorly maintained swimming pools, hot tubs, fountains and aquariums.
Infection occurs when amoeba-tainted water enters the nose and travels through the nasal membranes to the brain, where it begins to destroy brain tissue. Symptoms include heachache, fever, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, confusion, hallucinations and coma. PAM is a very rare disease, but it is often fatal and requires immediate treatment with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drugs to have any chance of survival.