In a tragic case, a routine sinus rinse turned into a fatal encounter with a brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. The story comes out of Texas, where a healthy 71-year-old woman, likely trying to clear out the nasal congestion many of us associate with dusty environments or allergies, used a nasal irrigation device. It is commonly known as a neti pot. The water she used came straight from the RV’s tap.
Unfortunately, that tap water was anything but clean. Within days of her rinse, she developed an unrelenting fever and a pounding headache. Then came confusion, and shortly after, seizures. She was diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)—a rare but almost always deadly brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. Eight days after her first symptoms appeared, she died.
This case was detailed in a report published on May 29 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the CDC, which confirmed the presence of the amoeba in her cerebrospinal fluid through lab testing.
Where does this brain-eating amoeba live?
Naegleria fowleri is not exactly hiding around every corner, waiting to attack, but it is more common than you would think in warm freshwater environments. It is found in lakes, rivers, hot springs, and yes, water systems that are not properly treated. It thrives in heat and loves bacteria.
It starts like a headache... and ends in disaster
The symptoms look like a normal headache, maybe some nausea. By the time things escalate to hallucinations, seizures, or coma, it is often too late. This amoeba moves quickly, and the body struggles to keep up.
It was avoidable. Entirely.
But this could have been entirely preventable. The CDC and health officials are adamant about one thing: never, ever use tap water for nasal rinsing. Not from your sink, not from a bottle, and definitely not from an RV. Always use sterile, distilled, or previously boiled and cooled water. It may sound tedious, but it would not be your life.
Here is how to do it right:
If a neti pot is used correctly, sinus rinses can be a great way to relieve congestion and allergies. But they should be done with the same caution you would apply to anything that has the potential to reach your brain—because in this case, it literally can.
