Texas woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using RV tap water for sinus rinse—
A 71-year-old Texas woman has died from a rare and deadly brain infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba.” The infection is believed to have resulted from her use of unboiled tap water from an RV’s water system to rinse her sinuses while staying at a campground.
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the woman began experiencing severe neurological symptoms—including fever, headache, and altered mental status—within four days of using the tap water for nasal irrigation. Despite medical treatment, she developed seizures and died eight days after symptom onset. Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in her cerebrospinal fluid.
