By definition, steam has been heated to a high temperature and exists as stray molecules before condensing back to water droplets. I guess microbes can't easily

By definition, steam has been heated to a high temperature and exists as stray molecules before condensing back to water droplets. I guess microbes can't easily survive or be carried along in this process. That said, it seems it's possible that this kind of thing can happen [1], but it's rare (and though that article is confusingly written, it seems that the bacteria in that case came from the air, after the steam had re-formed as water droplets). Anyway, the OP says this amoeba in a neti-pot scenario is rare too, so it seems we're always talking about fringe cases with this kind of stuff. [1] http://www.cleveland19.com/story/33829012/doctors-warn-about-lung-illness-attributed-to-bacteria-in-showers-and-hot-baths/ http://www.cleveland19.com/story/33829012/doctors-warn-about...