Problems are pouring out of the taps in Louisiana.
State health officials issued an urgent warning to residents this week after a microscopic organism commonly found in tap water was linked to five cases of permanent blindness and one death.
“While these infections are rare, they can have devastating consequences,” state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol said in a statement.
Since 2024, officials have identified 10 cases of Acanthamoeba-related illness statewide.
The microscopic amoeba is commonly found in soil, dust and water, including what comes out of the bathroom sink.
While most people will encounter the microscopic virus at some point without ever getting sick, infection can have devastating consequences for those who do, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The amoeba can enter the body through cuts or open wounds, by inhalation into the nose or lungs, or through the eyes, especially when contact lenses come into contact with contaminated water.
Where it settles determines how dangerous it is, with consequences ranging from painful eye problems to life-threatening brain disease.
One of the most common conditions it causes is Acanthamoeba keratitis, which affects the cornea, the transparent outer layer of the eye. This disease can affect even otherwise healthy people and cause permanent vision loss.
Of the 10 cases reported in Louisiana over the past two years, eight involved this type of eye infection. Seven of these patients wore contact lenses and five remained permanently blind.
Two other patients from Louisiana developed particularly severe forms of the disease, one affecting the sinuses and the other the brain. The latter was ultimately fatal.
Both patients had weakened immune systems and reported using tap water in nasal irrigation devices, designed to flush the sinuses.
State health officials said that while the reported use of tap water does not establish that it is the source of these infections, it highlights the importance of good drinking water practices.
“Using the right water for nasal rinsing, following good contact lens hygiene and taking precautions with medical devices can help reduce the risk,” Sokol said.
Drinking tap water is not considered a risk of Acanthamoeba infection.
From blurred vision to fatal illness
The Cleveland Clinic estimates that approximately 1,500 cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis are diagnosed each year in the United States.
Symptoms include eye pain, redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, and the uncomfortable feeling that something is stuck in the eye.
Doctors typically treat the condition with prescription antiseptic eye drops, such as chlorhexidine and polihexanide, which target the amoeba and help relieve pain and other symptoms.
But medication is not always enough. About 40% of cases do not respond adequately to eye drops alone and may require surgery.
The chances of good results are much higher when treatment is started before the disease spreads beyond the second layer of the cornea, usually within three weeks of the first symptoms appearing.
Cases of Acanthamoeba affecting other parts of the body are much rarer, but can be much more dangerous.
The CDC recorded 208 such cases in the United States between 1955 and 2025, including 14 in New York. Nationally, the number generally ranges from zero to 12 cases per year.
People with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to these more severe forms of the disease, which can affect the skin, sinuses and brain.
Worse still, the symptoms are not always easy to recognize and many patients are initially misdiagnosed.
Health authorities urge anyone with a weakened immune system who develops seizures, confusion, headache, weakness, fever, sinus problems, vision changes or unusual skin symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.
When caught early, cases affecting the skin and sinuses can often be treated. But the more the amoeba has to spread to other parts of the body, the more difficult it becomes to combat.
Perhaps the scariest complication is granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, a rare disease in which the amoeba attacks the brain.
This disease is almost always fatal.
Gn Health
