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A female asked:
I used tap water in my diffuser and inhaled it through my nose. i did this less than a minute but could i get infected by naegleria fowleri this way?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Rochesteranswered
Family Medicine 27 years experience
Unlikely: Tap water in US is treated to prevent infectious agents from surviving in the tap water. That is not to say it could not happen, but very unlikely if your local municipal water supplier is having no issues with treating the local water. It is better to use distilled or double distilled water for use in your diffuser. Hope this was helpful. Best of luck. Dr R
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 26 years experience
Know of no reports: of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri being transmitted through inhalation. This is a really rare condition. There have only been 143 case reports in the US between 1962 & 2016.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
526 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Nov 28, 2017
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