Microbiology: A Systems Approach 4th Edition by Marjorie Kelly Cowan

Exercise 4

Critical thinking is the ability to reason and solve problems using facts and concepts. These questions can be approached from a number of angles and, in most cases, they do not have a single correct answer.
In 2011, two cases of meningoencephalitis occurred in adults living in the southern United States. Both patients were found to have used untreated tap water in a neti pot to flush their sinuses.
a. Based upon the information provided, which microbe was most likely the causative agent of disease in these cases
b. Explain why the disease was rapidly fatal in both patients.