Prevention & Warning Signs

You cannot see, smell, or taste Naegleria fowleri, so the safest approach is to assume it could be present any time you are in warm fresh water and take the same simple steps every time. The single thing that matters most: keep warm fresh water from going up your nose.

In warm fresh water

• ✓ Hold your nose shut or wear a nose clip when jumping or diving into warm fresh water.
• ✓ Keep your head above water in hot springs and other untreated geothermal water.
• ✓ Avoid stirring up or digging in the sediment in shallow, warm fresh water — the ameba is more likely to live there.
• ✓ Take extra care during hot spells, when water is warmer and lower — the conditions the ameba likes best.

When rinsing your sinuses

• ✓ Use distilled or sterile water for sinus rinses, neti pots, and nasal cleansing.
• ✓ If you use tap water, boil it first and let it cool before rinsing.
• ✓ Never rinse your sinuses with untreated tap water straight from the faucet.

Warning signs

Early symptoms usually begin about 5 days after exposure, but can appear anywhere from 1 to 12 days. Once symptoms start, PAM progresses very quickly — death typically occurs about 5 days after symptoms begin, with a reported range of 1 to 18 days.