“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The St. Louis City Health Department is reassuring persons using water treated in the city for neti pots. The device is used to irrigate the sinuses.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The deaths that occurred recently in Louisiana due came from a rare amebic infection where an ameba in the tap water went into the brain and destroyed the brain tissue. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>St. Louis Health Department reports the Water Division takes extra precaution to prevent this type of issue. “The City water supply has 3.25 times the required contact time for chlorinated water treatment (our time is 13 logs, the legal requirement is 4 logs),” the department released in a statement. “Our processes should assure that the residual chlorine throughout the treatment system will destroy any Naegleria fowleri, a known cause of primary amebic meningoencephalitis.” “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Naegleria
infection
typically occurs when people go swimming or diving in warm
freshwater lakes and rivers. In very rare instances, N.
fowleri infections may also occur when contaminated water from
other sources (such as inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water
or heated tap water less than< 116.60 Fahrenheit) enters the
nose when people submerge their heads or when people irrigate their
sinuses with devices such as a neti pot. Persons cannot be infected
with N. fowleri by drinking water or swimming in a
properly cleaned, maintained, and disinfected swimming
pool.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Initial symptoms of PAM start one to seven days after infection as headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck. Later symptoms include confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance, seizures, and hallucinations. The disease progresses rapidly and usually causes death within one to 12 days. “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>N. fowleri
infections
are very rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), in the 10-year period from 2001 to 2010, 32
infections were reported in the United States. Of those cases, 30
(93.8%) were infected by contaminated recreational water and 2
(6.2%) were infected by water from a geothermal drinking water
supply.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Recommendations
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Irrigate, flush, or rinse the nose and sinuses (for example, with a neti pot) using distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Rinse the irrigation device (such as a neti pot) after each use and leave open to air dry.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Any questions should be directed to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ (DHSS’) Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at 800/392-0272 (24/7).