(photo courtesy of Nataliya Vaitkevich/Pexels)
The Louisiana Department of Health is urging the public not to use tap water for nasal rinsing or to clean or store contact lenses to prevent a rare but serious amoeba infection. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says there have been 10 cases of Acanthamoeba infections since 2024.
“It’s most often associated or occurs among people who are contact lens wearers. And of the eight cases that we’ve identified in Louisiana, seven have occurred in people who wear contact lenses,” Sokol noted.
Sokol says in five of the cases, the eye infection resulted in permanent vision loss.
Sokol says two serious infections have been reported this year, including one involving the brain that was fatal. Both patients had weakened immune systems and reported using tap water in nasal irrigation devices.
“People who do rinse their sinuses, it’s really important to use sterile water, distilled water or boiled tap water to prevent the infection with Acanthamoeba,” Sokol explained.
Sokol says these infections are rare, but proper precautions can reduce the risk. That includes using the right type of water for nasal rinsing and following proper contact lens hygiene.
“This type of eye infection, caused by Acanthamoeba, it really often times affects otherwise healthy people, but it can cause permanent vision loss,” Sokol said.
Sokol says drinking tap water is not considered a risk for Acanthamoeba.
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