RICHMOND, Va. -- A new study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns of the potential consequence of using a nasal rinse without sterile water.
Nasal rinsing or sinus irrigation is commonly used to flush out muccus or debris such as allergens from the nose. It is also used in some spiritual rituals.
“There may be an association or a link between infections and the use of non-sterile, unboiled, or just untreated tap water with nasal rinses,” said Dr. Melissa Viray, Deputy Director of the Richmond Henrico Health District.
The study appears in the April issue of Emerginig Infectious Diseases and describes 10 U.S. patients with severe Acanthamoeba infection who performed nasal rinsing regularly.
“Acanthamoeba is this free-living amoeba. It’s a little organism that lives in soil, it lives in water, it’s all over the place. We encounter it all the time,” explains Dr. Viray. “It's not a problem until it comes into contact with broken skin or someone whose immune system is compromised, or it gets into somewhere it shouldn’t.”
The amoeba can exist in tap water and if introduced to the nasal cavity via something like a neti pot, cause severe infections. Of the cases studied, three patients died. Others suffered brain disease, skin disease or bone disease. The amebae are also known to infect the central nervous system and cause pulmonary disease.
While cases of Acanthamoeba infections are rare, only 3-12 annually in the U.S., the study underscores the importance of increasing awareness about safe nasal rinsing.
Dr. Viray says there is a simple solution to mitigate this risk: boil your water and let it cool before using in a nasal rinse. That includes bottled water too.
“Buy distilled water from the first aid section of a store or sterilize the water first. It only takes a minute of boiling and that's a way to make your practice as safe as possible and be able to still get the health benefits from the sinus rinsing without putting yourself at risk,” said Dr. Viray.
Further, the study notes all healthcare providers caring for immunocompromised persons in particular should educate their patients about Acanthamoeba infections, including how to recognize symptoms and how to practice safe nasal rinsing.
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