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An elderly woman, aged 71, died after being infected with a deadly brain-eating amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the woman contracted this rare organism while using untreated tap water from her RV’s supply for nasal irrigation, a practice used to cleanse the nasal passages.

Days after this practice, she began to experience severe neurological symptoms, including fever, headache, confusion, and seizures. Despite receiving early medical intervention, she tragically lost her life just eight days after the onset of symptoms. The CDC states that while the infection is extremely rare, it is fatal when contracted. Between 1962 and 2023, there were 164 reported cases, of which only four individuals survived.

Where is ‘brain-eating amoeba’ found?

Naegleria Fowleri is a single-celled, free-living amoeba and is commonly known as the ‘brain-eating amoeba’. It causes a fatal infection in humans which is called Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).

The organism thrives in warm freshwater environments around the world. It is found in rivers, lakes, ponds, hot springs and even poorly maintained swimming pools or tap water if it is not chlorinated properly. It can also be found in soil.

How does it entre human brain

The virus enters the human brain when the water containing the amoeba forcefully enters the nose during activities like swimming, diving, or water skiing.

In this case, the woman used the tap water for nasal irrigation, which is an ancient Ayurvedic practice used for clearing the nasal passage for relieving symptoms to allergies, colds, flu, sinus and other upper respiratory conditions.

Symptoms and treatment of ‘brain-eating amoeba’

After exposure to the amoeba, symptoms usually start within 1 to 12 days. The infection usually resembles bacterial meningitis or a severe case of the flu. The early symptoms include Severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, changes in sense of smell or taste.

As the infection deepens, confusion, lack of attention to surroundings, loss of balance, seizures, hallucinations, coma etc. The infection has a fatality rate of 97 per cent, with people dying within 1 to 18 days after symptoms appear. As the disease is rare and progresses, its diagnosis is challenging and often occurs when the patient has already died. The treatment is usually given to reduce the symptoms, however, there is no single highly effective medication for it.