Texas Woman Uses Tap Water For Nasal Rinse, Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba

Last Updated:June 04, 2025, 13:04 IST

The 71-year-old previously healthy woman suddenly took ill four days after she used a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water from an RV’s water system at a campground

The Texas Department of State Health Services found the presence of Naegleria fowleri in the woman’s cerebrospinal fluid after lab testing. (AI Image)

A simple home remedy for sinus congestion ended in tragedy for a woman in Texas who lost her life after contracting a rare and deadly brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, from using tap water for a sinus rinse.

According to a report published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a 71-year-old previously healthy woman suddenly took ill four days after she used a nasal irrigation device that was filled with tap water from an RV’s water system at a campground in Texas.

Doctors said the woman experienced severe neurologic symptoms, including fever, headache, and an altered mental state. Despite receiving medical attention, she developed seizures and eight days on, she passed away.

People magazine quoted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as saying that investigators with the Texas Department of State Health Services found the presence of Naegleria fowleri in the woman’s cerebrospinal fluid after lab testing.

Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. M...Read More

Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. M...

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News world Texas Woman Uses Tap Water For Nasal Rinse, Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba