BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — Louisiana health officials are warning residents not to use untreated tap water for nasal rinses, contact lenses or certain medical devices after two serious Acanthamoeba infections were reported this year, including one fatal case.
The Louisiana Department of Health said the two patients with severe infections both had weakened immune systems and reported using tap water for nasal irrigation. However, officials stressed that tap water has not been confirmed as the source of either infection.
Louisiana has recorded 10 Acanthamoeba infections since 2024. Eight involved Acanthamoeba keratitis, a serious eye infection that can cause permanent vision loss. Seven of those patients wore contact lenses, and five reportedly lost their sight permanently.
Acanthamoeba is found naturally in soil, freshwater, swimming pools and some indoor water systems. It is different from Naegleria fowleri, the organism commonly called the “brain-eating amoeba.”
State officials advised residents to use distilled, sterile or previously boiled water in neti pots and other sinus-rinsing devices. The same precautions apply to continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, equipment. Tap water should also not be used to clean or store contact lenses.
“Although these infections are rare, they can have devastating consequences,” state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol said.
Officials emphasized that drinking tap water does not pose a known risk for Acanthamoeba infection.
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