Kerala Grapples with Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba: Two More Lives Lost

Kerala is once again in the grip of a serious health alert as the rare but often fatal 'brain-eating' amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, has claimed two more lives. These tragic incidents bring the total number of fatalities from Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) in the state to five since 2016, highlighting an alarming trend and prompting urgent public health warnings.

The latest victims are a 15-year-old boy from Alappuzha and a 20-year-old youth from Malappuram, both of whom succumbed to the aggressive infection.

The Alappuzha boy passed away in August, while the youth from Malappuram succumbed to the disease last week. Their deaths have sent shockwaves through the local communities and underscored the silent danger lurking in freshwater bodies.

Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba,' is a microscopic, single-celled organism found in warm fresh water, such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and unchlorinated swimming pools.

The infection, PAM, occurs when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose. From there, the amoeba travels up to the brain, causing severe inflammation and destruction of brain tissue. It cannot be contracted by drinking contaminated water.

Symptoms of PAM typically appear within one to nine days after exposure and include severe headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

As the infection progresses, symptoms can escalate to stiff neck, seizures, altered mental status, and hallucinations, rapidly leading to coma and almost invariably, death. The rapid progression and high fatality rate make PAM a particularly terrifying disease.

In response to these recent cases, Kerala's health department has issued a high alert across the state.

Public health officials are urging residents to take extreme caution when engaging in activities involving freshwater. Specific advisories include avoiding bathing in stagnant, polluted water bodies, or those with suspected contamination. People are also advised to use nose clips or hold their noses shut when swimming or diving in freshwater to prevent water from entering the nasal passages.

While Naegleria fowleri infections are exceedingly rare globally, the recurring instances in Kerala, particularly in districts like Alappuzha, Malappuram, and Kozhikode, are a cause for significant concern.

The state had previously reported deaths from PAM in 2016 in Alappuzha, 2019 in Malappuram, and 2022 in Kozhikode. These sporadic but deadly outbreaks necessitate continuous monitoring, public awareness campaigns, and research into local environmental factors that might contribute to the amoeba's presence.

As communities mourn the loss of these young lives, the focus remains on preventative measures and heightened vigilance.

The health department continues to monitor water sources and educate the public on the risks associated with certain freshwater activities, emphasizing that while rare, the threat of this microscopic killer should not be underestimated.