CDC Sounds the Alarm After Fatal Neti Pot Infection Linked to Tap Water
A 71-year-old Texas woman has died after contracting a rare and almost always fatal brain infection, prompting renewed warnings from the CDC about how to safely use sinus rinse devices like neti pots.
According to a recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the woman developed a brain infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) after using a nasal irrigation device filled with unboiled tap water from an RV campground. She began experiencing symptoms, including fever, headache, and altered mental status, just four days later. Despite medical intervention, she developed seizures and died eight days after her symptoms began.
The infection was caused by Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled organism commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba.' While incredibly rare—only 164 reported cases in the U.S. between 1962 and 2023, with just four survivors—PAM is almost always fatal. The organism typically lives in warm freshwater environments like lakes and rivers, but it can also be found in poorly maintained or untreated water systems, including RV hookups and some pools.
Health officials confirmed that the woman did not swim or bathe in freshwater but instead used the RV's tap water for nasal rinsing, making it the likely source of the deadly exposure.
Experts urge anyone using nasal irrigation devices to follow strict guidelines. The CDC recommends using only water that is sterile, distilled, or previously boiled and cooled. Filtered tap water, including from common brands like Brita, does not meet the safety threshold. 'These amoeba infections are rare but not unheard of,' Dr. Travis Stork told People. 'Which is why the water must be sterile. Always follow directions.'
As summer travel increases and RV use spikes, this tragic case underscores the importance of water safety and proper hygiene when using neti pots. It's not just about clearing your sinuses. It could be a matter of life and death.
CDC Sounds the Alarm After Fatal Neti Pot Infection Linked to Tap Water first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 4, 2025
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