A 71-year-old Texas woman died from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The infection resulted from nasal irrigation with unboiled water from her recreational vehicle's tank. CDC investigation revealed inadequate water disinfection, allowing amoeba growth. While the amoeba wasn't found in water samples, insufficient disinfectant and cloudy water indicated potential contamination. The CDC emphasizes using only distilled or sterilized water for nasal irrigation to prevent such infections. PAM is rare but almost always fatal.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.