Naegleria fowleri: Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba Linked to Tap Water Use. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba found in warm freshwater environments—lakes, rivers, hot springs, and, more rarely, domestic tap or RV water systems. It causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but nearly always fatal brain infection.
New Risk Route: Nasal Irrigation. Previously, most cases were linked to swimming in warm lakes or rivers. However, recent evidence highlights nasal rinsing with non-sterile tap water (e.g., using a neti pot) as another risk—especially in RVs.
In 2025, a healthy 71-year-old woman in Texas died after using RV tap water for nasal irrigation
Though the amoeba wasn’t isolated due to delayed testing, the CDC concluded the water was likely contaminated. Why This Matters. Tap water…
