Louisiana health officials warn about rare amoeba infections after certain tap water use
Louisiana health officials have issued a warning regarding the use of tap water for nasal irrigation and contact lens cleaning following a spike in rare Acanthamoeba infections. The amoeba, which can cause severe eye infections and fatal brain conditions, is found in common water sources and poses a higher risk to those with weakened immune systems.
Why it matters
This highlights a critical public health safety issue regarding the proper handling of medical devices and water usage to prevent life-threatening infections.
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is warning residents about the risks of using tap water to rinse nasal passages and clean contact lenses after several rare amoeba infections.
Health officials said on Thursday that there have been 10 cases of Acanthamoeba infections in the state since 2024.
Of those cases, eight were cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is an eye infection that can cause permanent vision loss. Seven occurred among people who wore contact lens, and five suffered permanent vision loss, according to the LDH.
Two infections occurred this year, one affecting the sinuses and the other affecting the brain, the latter of which was fatal. The LDH said both patients had weakened immune systems and had used tap water in nasal irrigation devices.
State officials have not released any information on the individual who died, including name, age, sex or place of residence,
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in