Kerala: Brain-Eating Amoeba Infection Strikes Again, Fourth Case Since May

This rare brain infection is caused by a free-living amoeba which is found in contaminated rivers.

The fourth case has been found in a 14-year-old resident of north Kerala's Payyoli, news agency PTI reported citing sources from the private hospital where the boy is being treated.

Notably, the three previous cases of this rare brain-eating amoeba infection lost their lives.

However, one of the doctors in this latest case said that the boy -- who was admitted to the hospital on July 1 -- is seemingly improving.

The doctor noted that the infection was promptly identified at the hospital, following which, treatment was started immediately and medicines from abroad were provided to the teen patient.

Earlier on Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy with the free-living amoeba infection died in Kozhikode. And before that two others -- a five-year-old girl from Malappuram and a 13-year-old girl from Kannur -- passed away on May 21 and June 25 respectively, both due to the amoeba infection.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday held a meeting with top officials, where several suggestions including to not bathe in unclear water bodies and other such things were discussed to further prevent this disease.

An official statement said that during the meeting, suggestions for proper chlorination of swimming pools, adding that children should be careful while entering any waterbody as they are the ones most affected by this disease.

The suggestions also included usage of swimming nose clips to prevent infection by this free-living amoeba. Vijayan urged people to look after the waterbodies and the maintenance of their cleanliness.

Medical experts have said that the infections occurs when free-living, non-parasitic amoebae bacteria enter the human body through the nose from contaminated water.

The disease was previously reported in Kerala's coastal district of Alappuzha in 2017 and 2023.

Notably, the characteristic symptoms of the primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and changes in mental state.

Though there is no exact set of treatment to cure PAM yet, there are ways to survive the conditions, as per doctors, with a combination of drugs including amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine and dexamethasone.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with PAM die within 1 to 18 days after symptoms start to appear.

(With PTI inputs)