Hot springs are not bathtubs, and soap, shampoos, or other chemicals should not be introduced into the water. Pack out trash and do not leave candles or other reminders of your visit behind. Visitors to the hot springs should also take some simple precautions against a rare form of meningitis caused by an amoeba, Naegleria fowler , that lives in warm water and soils worldwide. Several fatalities have been attributed to the amoeba, which enters the brain through the nasal passages. Symptoms of infection include a runny nose, sore throat, and severe headache.
Death is possible within a few days.
Bathers are advised to avoid immersion of their heads, and to keep their noses out of the water. For more information about hot springs in the Gila National Forest, check out the U.S.D.A. National Forest Service website .