Latest news with #PrimaryAmebicMeningoencephalitis
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
71-Year-Old Texas Woman Dies From Rare 'Brain-Eating Amoeba'
Clogged sinuses are a common problem, affecting millions of people every day. The widespread issue has led to a number of home remedies that are usually enough to provide some relief. One tactic involves nasal irrigation through water - water is poured through one nostril as the person leans to the side. This helps the water and whatever is blocking the person's sinuses emerge from the other nostril. It's an effective method, and neti pots are sold at drug stores and retailers around the country, but the remedy proved to be fatal for one Texas woman. According to the CDC's Mortality and Weekly Report, a 71-year-old woman died after using water from a campground to fill her neti pot. After using the water from an RV's water system, the woman began experiencing "fever, headache and [an] altered mental status." The woman was then treated for Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis and suffered seizures as she was being helped and attended to. The CDS says it believes that the woman also had Naegleria fowleri, a "brain-eating amoeba" that's found in lakes, hot springs and freshwater liquids. The organization warns that only handful of people contract the amoeba each year, but that the mortality rate is close to 100% when it's discovered. Ways to stay safe include wearing nose caps or plugs while swimming, keeping your head above water in hot springs, not digging in to shallow water and boiling water before taking it into one's sinuses. In this instance, the amoeba was able to quickly travel to the woman's brain, which it did after she used the neti pot. "If water containing the ameba goes up the nose and to the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis," the organization warned. The CDC says that the problematic amoeba can be found in soil and marshy, swampy areas around the world. Since 1962 there have been nearly 200 cases of primary amebic meningoencephalitis in the United States, and only four people have survived. The amoeba cannot be contracted by swallowing water that has the bacteria in it, and it cannot be passed to others. Rest in peace to the woman who died, and we send condolences to her family, friends and loved ones during this diffcult time. 71-Year-Old Texas Woman Dies From Rare 'Brain-Eating Amoeba' first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 5, 2025
USA Today
6 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses, CDC says
Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses, CDC says Show Caption Hide Caption What to know about the flu The common flu can cause mild to severe symptoms, according to the CDC. Find out what you need to know to prevent the illness. A woman in Texas died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba infection from using tap water to clear out her sinuses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced. According to a death investigation inside the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released Thursday, May 29, the 71-year-old woman suddenly died after experiencing serious symptoms. Officials described the symptoms as a fever, headache, and an 'altered mental status,' only days after using a 'nasal irrigation device' filled with tap water. The report continued, saying that the woman received medical treatment for a suspected Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis infection. But despite the treatment, the woman began having seizures, subsequently dying eight days after symptoms began. Following her death, CDC officials confirmed in the report that Naegleria fowleri was found in the woman's cerebrospinal fluid, which the Cleveland Clinic says is a clear and colorless fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a protective cushion and provides nutrients. What is Naegleria fowleri? According to the CDC, Naegleria fowleri, more commonly known as 'brain-eating amoeba,' is a one-celled organism that lives in freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs. 'If water containing the ameba goes up the nose and to the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM),' the CDC said. Officials said that fewer than 10 people a year contract PAM, with a death rate of almost 100%. How can I stay safe from brain-eating amoeba? According to the CDC, officials gave the following recommendations to stay safe: Hold your nose or wear a nose clip if you are jumping or diving into fresh water. Always keep your head above water in hot springs. Don't dig in shallow water because the amoeba is more likely to live there. Use distilled or boiled tap water when rinsing your sinuses or cleansing your nasal passages. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
The Hill
6 days ago
- General
- The Hill
Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses: CDC
(WJW) – A Texas woman has died after contracting a rare infection from a brain-eating amoeba while using tap water to clear out her sinuses at an RV campground, according to a recent report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the death investigation in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report last Thursday, stating that the patient was an otherwise healthy 71-year-old. According to the report, she started experiencing serious symptoms like a fever, headache, and 'altered mental status' within four days of using a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water. The woman received medical treatment for the suspected Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) infection, but according to the report, she started having seizures and died eight days after the symptoms started. Through an investigation, the CDC confirmed that Naegleria fowleri was found in the woman's cerebrospinal fluid. According to the CDC, Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba,' is a one-celled organism that lives in freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs. 'If water containing the ameba goes up the nose and to the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM),' the CDC said. 'Typically, fewer than 10 people a year in the United States get PAM. Nearly everyone who gets PAM dies from it.' According to medical records, between 1962 and 2023, the United States reported 164 cases of PAM. Of those cases, only four patients survived. The Texas Department of State Health Services determined that the Texas woman did not have recreational exposure to fresh water, but she reportedly used non-boiled water taken from an RV water system for nasal irrigation 'on several occasions.' The CDC urges the public to take the following precautions to avoid getting the dangerous infection: At least two deaths related to brain-eating amoeba infections brought on by neti pot use were reported last year. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses: CDC
(WJW) – A Texas woman has died after contracting a rare infection from a brain-eating amoeba while using tap water to clear out her sinuses at an RV campground, according to a recent report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the death investigation in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report last Thursday, stating that the patient was an otherwise healthy 71-year-old. According to the report, she started experiencing serious symptoms like a fever, headache and 'altered mental status' within four days of using a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water. 3 sisters found dead after planned visitation with dad; He's still missing The woman received medical treatment for the suspected Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) infection, but according to the report, she started having seizures and died eight days after the symptoms started. Through an investigation, the CDC confirmed that Naegleria fowleri was found in the woman's cerebrospinal fluid. According to the CDC, Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba,' is a one-celled organism that lives in freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs. 'If water containing the ameba goes up the nose and to the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM),' the CDC said. 'Typically, fewer than 10 people a year in the United States get PAM. Nearly everyone who gets PAM dies from it.' A rare COVID-19 strain disappeared overnight. We still don't know which Ohioan had it According to medical records, between 1962 and 2023, the United States reported 164 cases of PAM. Of those cases, only four patients survived. The Texas Department of State Health Services determined that the Texas woman did not have recreational exposure to fresh water, but she reportedly used nonboiled water taken from an RV water system for nasal irrigation 'on several occasions.' The CDC urges the public to take the following precautions to avoid getting the dangerous infection: Hold your nose or wear a nose clip if you are jumping or diving into fresh water. Always keep your head above water in hot springs. Don't dig in shallow water because the ameba is more likely to live there. Use distilled or boiled tap water when rinsing your sinuses or cleansing your nasal passages. Learn more about the death investigation here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
