WASHINGTON — Health officials are warning the public about the risks of nasal rinsing after a Texas woman died from a rare brain infection after using tap water in nasal rinse.

According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a 71-year-old woman developed severe symptoms just four days after using a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water from an RV’s water system at a Texas campground.

The woman experienced a fever, headache and altered mental status before progressing to seizures. Despite medical care, she died eight days after her symptoms began. Lab tests later confirmed she had Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism often referred to as a “brain-eating amoeba.”

The CDC concluded the infection likely occurred through nasal exposure using an irrigation device.

“The patient had no recreational exposure to fresh water; however, she had reportedly performed nasal irrigation on several occasions using nonboiled water from the RV potable water faucet during the 4 days before illness onset,” the report said. 

Naegleria fowleri causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare brain infection that is almost always fatal. Between 1962 and 2023, only four people in the U.S. out of 164 known cases have survived, according to the CDC.

The amoeba is typically found in warm freshwater environments like lakes, rivers, hot springs and poorly chlorinated swimming pools. When contaminated water enters the nose, it can travel to the brain and cause severe inflammation.

Early symptoms can begin one to nine days after exposure and include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. In more advanced stages, individuals may experience stiff neck, hallucinations, seizures and coma. Many people die within 18 days of showing symptoms.

“This case reinforces the potential for serious health risks associated with improper use of nasal irrigation devices, as well as the importance of maintaining RV water quality and ensuring that municipal water systems adhere to regulatory standards,” the report stated.

To stay safe, the CDC advises that only distilled, sterile or properly boiled and cooled water be used for nasal rinsing. Tap water, including filtered tap water such as from Brita systems, is not considered sterile and should not be used unless boiled for at least one minute and cooled.