Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills 19 In Kerala: Kerala health authorities are on high alert after a spike in Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a fatal brain infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba. This year alone, the state has recorded 69 confirmed cases and 19 deaths, sparking public fear and urgent preventive measures.
What Exactly Is the ‘Brain-Eating Amoeba’?
The culprit, Naegleria fowleri, is a free-living amoeba commonly found in warm, stagnant freshwater bodies like ponds, lakes, and unchlorinated pools. Once it enters through the nose, it travels to the brain, destroying brain tissue and causing severe swelling that leads to death in most cases.
How the Infection Spreads
The infection does not spread through drinking contaminated water or from person to person. Instead, it enters through the nose while swimming, diving, or bathing in infected freshwater. Once inside, it quickly travels through the olfactory nerves to the brain, triggering rapid inflammation.
Symptoms That Shouldn’t Be Ignored
PAM symptoms often mimic bacterial meningitis, making it hard to diagnose in time. They include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, and confusion. Symptoms usually appear within 1–9 days of exposure, and the disease progresses rapidly, often becoming fatal within days.
Why Climate Change Makes It Worse
Experts warn that rising temperatures due to climate change are fueling the risk of amoeba infections. Warmer waters encourage the growth of Naegleria fowleri, while hot weather pushes more people to freshwater swimming, raising chances of exposure.
Kerala’s Past and Present Cases
Kerala reported its first PAM case in 2016, with only a handful until 2023. But in the past two years, numbers have skyrocketed, 36 cases and 9 deaths in 2023, and an alarming spike this year. Unlike earlier clusters linked to specific water sources, recent cases are scattered across multiple districts, making tracking harder.
Treatment Challenges
PAM has an extremely high fatality rate because it is often diagnosed too late. Early treatment with a cocktail of antimicrobial drugs offers the only chance of survival, but quick detection is rare. Survivors in the past six decades were mostly diagnosed before brain involvement, underscoring the importance of awareness.
How to Stay Safe: Dos and Don’ts
1. Avoid swimming, bathing, or diving in stagnant freshwater ponds and lakes.
2. Use nose clips while swimming in freshwater.
3. Clean and chlorinate water tanks, pools, and wells regularly.
4. Seek medical help immediately if experiencing symptoms after freshwater exposure.
The Government’s Preventive Steps
The Kerala health department, along with the National Centre for Disease Control, is carrying out environmental sampling to track contaminated sources. Awareness campaigns are being run across schools, communities, and media to educate citizens on safe water practices.
The ‘brain-eating amoeba’ is rare but deadly, and prevention is the strongest defense. With Kerala reporting an unprecedented rise in cases, timely awareness and caution can save lives. Avoiding stagnant water and recognizing early symptoms can make all the difference.
