Warning issued over tap water after woman catches rare and potentially fatal infection

Health officials in Charlotte County, Florida have confirmed that an individual has been infected with a rare ‘brain-eating’ amoeba. In a statement issued Thursday by the Florida Department of Health, the woman may have been infected while routinely rinsing her sinus with tap water.

‘Brain-eating’ amoeba

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, naegleria fowleri – the scientific name of the organism that infected the woman – is a tiny amoeba, only visible under a microscope. It can be found in warm and shallow fresh-water bodies as well as in soil. It does not need a host to survive, Cleveland Clinic states. In a statement issued by Charlotte County Health officials:

Infection with Naegleria fowleri is RARE and can only happen when water contaminated with amoebae enters the body through the nose. You CANNOT be infected by drinking tap water.

Although rare, the organism can travel up the nose into the brain where it can feast on brain tissue, resulting in a potentially fatal condition known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, the statement added.

In the meantime, authorities say investigations are ongoing into how the infection occurred. They are also working with the local public utilities to identify any potential links and make any necessary corrective actions.

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Signs and symptoms

This amoeba can enter your brain through swimming, diving or other water-related sports such as water-skiing, according to Cleveland Clinic.

In extremely rare cases, the infected water can be heated tap water or swimming pool water that isn’t chlorinated enough

The health website listed the signs and symptoms of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) to include:

• High fever.
• Very painful headache.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Trembling.
• Symptoms like those of meningitis, including a stiff neck and extreme sensitivity to light (photophobia).
• Coma.

These symptoms come on suddenly and tend to be severe at the start. The fatality rate is higher than 97% even with treatment, Cleveland Clinic states.

Sources used:

Florida Health Charlotte County: FDOH in Charlotte Advises Community on Naegleria Fowleri Infection

Cleveland Clinic: Brain eating amoeba

Live Science: 'Brain-eating' amoeba case in Florida potentially tied to unfiltered water in sinus rinse