Neti pots, nasal-rinsing devices linked to potentially deadly amoeba

Federal health officials linked neti pots and other nasal rinsing devices to another potentially dangerous amoeba. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday published a report that tied acanthamoeba infections to the use of such nasal-rinsing devices.  

These devices, shaped like small teapots with long spouts, help to flush out clogged nasal passages so that people can breathe easier. The products are safe when used properly, such as with saline or saltwater. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long warned that improper use of these neti pots and other nasal irrigation devices – such as using tap water – can increase the risk of infection.

The CDC's study focused on 10 patients who were infected between 1994 and 2022. Nine of those cases have occurred in the past decade. Most of the patients had been nasal rinsing for either months or years.

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Three died, according to the CDC. The agency noted that the number of patients who survived "is unexpectedly high considering the typical fatality rate for Acanthamoeba infection." 

Researchers noted that while nasal rinsing may have led to the infections, it was not "definitively determined to be the route of transmission for any case." 

Health officials previously tied deaths from a brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, to nasal rinsing.

The CDC is urging health care providers to educate their patients on the proper use of nasal rinsing and acanthamoeba infections. 

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The CDC's Dr. Julia Haston told FOX Business that "there are ways to protect yourself from infections when performing nasal rinsing." 

The most important is to use safe water.

"This means using water that has been boiled and then cooled before use, or buying distilled or sterile water," Haston said. "Do not use tap water straight from the faucet to perform nasal rinsing." 

If consumers use tap water, it needs to be boiled for at least one minute and cooled before use, the CDC said. 

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According to the FDA's website, tap water isn't safe to use because it isn't adequately filtered or treated. Additionally, some tap water contains low levels of organisms, such as bacteria and protozoa, including amoebas. Those organisms "may be safe to swallow because stomach acid kills them. But in your nose, these organisms can stay alive in nasal passages" and cause serious and potentially fatal infections. 

The CDC also offers a 24/7 free-living ameba consultation service that health care providers can call for a consultation for any confirmed or suspected acanthamoeba infections.