A man in South Florida died last month of a brain-eating infection after using tap water during a sinus rinse. According to FOX 4.
The man, who has not been named but was identified as a Charlotte County resident, died on Feb. 20, three days before the county health department issued a public warning about the infection.
DOH-Charlotte reported a case on February 23 related to Naegleria folleri, a microscopic single-celled live amoeba. The department said the infection is rare and can only occur when water contaminated with the amoeba enters the nose, stressing that it cannot be contracted. By drinking tap water.
Amoeba can cause a brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)—a condition for which there is no effective treatment.
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Naegleria folleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba”, is a free-living microscopic amoeba,* (a single-celled organism). (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
In a statement to FOX 4, the CDC said this is the first case in Florida where a person was infected through tap water, and the first case in the U.S. during the winter months, also of Naegleria foleri. This is the first case of infection. the year
According to the CDC, the infection kills more than 97% of people who contract it. Of the 154 known infected persons in the United States from 1962 to 2021, only four confirmed patients survived the infection.
Last summer, Caleb Ziegelbauer, then 13, contracted a possible brain-eating amoeba while swimming at Port Charlotte Beach Park, which is in Charlotte County, Florida.
Although her case has not been confirmed by the CDC as a Naegleria fowleri infection, her medical team reportedly believes it was. As of last week, he is still alive and on the road to recovery.
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Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, can be caught in warm water areas. (CDC.gov)
The amoeba typically lives in warm, freshwater bodies such as lakes, rivers and hot springs, the CDC said. It’s also likely to be found living in sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and streams, so the agency advises digging or stirring the soil in shallow, warm freshwater.
It is extremely rare for Naegleria fowleri to be found in swimming pools, splash pads, surf parks,and other and other recreational facilities, but it is possible if they are poorly maintained or do not have adequate chlorine.
In the US, most infections have been linked to swimming in southern states, with Texas and Florida reporting the highest number of cases at 39 and 37, respectively.
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After the death, DOH-Charlotte said it is “continuing to investigate how the infection occurred and is working with local public utilities to identify any potential links and take necessary corrective actions.”
In the public warning, the department said Charlotte County residents should be extra careful when showering, bathing, washing their mouths, swimming, jumping in water and playing with hoses/sprinklers to avoid getting runny noses. Sanitizing plastic and blow-up pools and avoiding slip-n-slides is also recommended.
The water used in neti pots (pictured above) and other sinus rinses should always be distilled or sterile. (iStock)
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It added that sinus rinse solutions should always be made with distilled or sterile water, which can be made by boiling tap water for at least one minute and then allowing to cool.
The department urges residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the following symptoms after swimming in warm lakes or rivers or a runny nose: headache, fever, nausea, restlessness, vomiting , neck stiffness, seizures, loss of balance and hallucinations
