Kerala Reels as Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba Claims Another Young Life

Kerala is once again grappling with the devastating reality of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare yet almost always fatal brain infection, following the tragic death of a 15-year-old boy. The young victim, from Panakkattuchira in Thachamparambu, Malappuram district, succumbed to the virulent disease on Friday at the Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri, sending a wave of concern through the state.

This heart-wrenching incident marks the second fatality due to the dreaded 'brain-eating amoeba' in Kerala within a mere two months.

Earlier in February, a five-year-old boy from Alappuzha had also lost his life to PAM, underscoring the severe public health challenge posed by this microscopic killer.

Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis is caused by the notorious amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the 'brain-eating amoeba'.

This insidious organism thrives in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, rivers, ponds, and even poorly maintained swimming pools. The infection typically occurs when contaminated water, containing the amoeba, enters the human body through the nose. Once inside, the amoeba travels up the olfactory nerve to the brain, where it causes rapid and severe destruction of brain tissue.

Symptoms of PAM are initially non-specific but quickly escalate in severity.

Patients often experience a sudden onset of fever, excruciating headaches, nausea, and vomiting. As the infection progresses, more critical neurological signs emerge, including a stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and eventually, coma. The progression is alarmingly swift, often leading to death within one to two weeks of symptom onset, despite aggressive medical intervention.

Health authorities in Kerala have heightened surveillance and renewed their calls for extreme caution among the public.

The primary advisory remains steadfast: avoid bathing in stagnant water bodies, especially during warmer periods when the amoeba is most active. While rare, the potential for exposure in certain freshwater settings necessitates vigilance and adherence to preventive measures.

Unlike other waterborne diseases, PAM is not contracted by drinking contaminated water and cannot be spread from person to person.

The danger lies specifically in water entering the nasal passages, which makes activities like swimming, diving, or even accidental submersion in risky water bodies potential routes of infection. As Kerala grapples with this recurring threat, public awareness and proactive preventive strategies are paramount to safeguarding lives against this formidable pathogen.