cw death

A Florida resident has died of a rare infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba after using unboiled tap water to clean their sinuses, local and federal officials say.

The Florida Health Department said the case involves a resident of Charlotte County but specific details were not immediately released. The CDC said the patient died on Monday.

The resident, whose identity has not been made public, is believed to have contracted Naegleria Fowleri after using unboiled tap water to rinse their sinuses daily, according to the CDC.

“DOH-Charlotte, as part of a multi-agency response, is continuing to investigate how this infection occurred and is working with the local public utilities to identify any potential links and make any necessary corrective actions,” the health department said.

Naegleria Fowleri can infect people when water containing the single-celled organism enters the body through the nose, usually while swimming or diving in ponds, lakes or rivers. In rare cases it can also be found in pipes connected to tap water.

“When water contaminated with Naegleria is sniffed up the nose, the ameba can travel to the brain,” according to the CDC website. “This causes the disease Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), which destroys brain tissue and usually results in death.”

Symptoms usually occur between 1 and 12 days after infection and may include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms may progress to a stiff neck, confusion, seizures and other neurological symptoms.

An infection with the brain-eating amoeba is nearly always fatal, killing 153 out of 157 patients since the early 1960s. Most cases were found in southern U.S. states, especially Texas (39) and Florida (38).

Although Naegleria Fowleri is a heat-loving ameba and is usually found in warm freshwater environments, recent infections have also been found in northern U.S. states as cooler regions have become warmer and drier.

  • Tachanka [comrade/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    i had a Ear/Nose/Throat doctor suggest a netti pot, but they specified to only use boiled water or distilled water. People are talking about netti pots ITT but nobody is talking about humidifiers... are those ok I wonder? Wikipedia said the amoeba has to go through your cribiform plate, which is a porous bone between your nasopharynx and brain.

    • ClimateChangeAnxiety [he/him, they/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 years ago

      According to a short google “There is no evidence that Naegleria fowleri can spread through water vapor or aerosol droplets, such as shower mist or through a humidifier”

      You pretty much have to shoot a good amount of contaminated water up into your nasal passages

      • dallasw
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        deleted by creator

    • Owl [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      I don't think you'll get amoebas out of your air humidifier, but you'll sure get legionella.

    • jackal [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      You can get humidifiers that actually boil the water into steam to sanitize it. Costs more in electricity and initial price than an ultrasonic humidifier, but then you don't need to use distilled water and don't have to worry about mineral dust all over your room