Kerala boy dies due to 'brain eating amoeba'; all you need to know about this rare disease

According to a report by the news agency PTI, a 15-year-old boy in Kerala's Alappuzha district has tragically died from a rare brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The state health minister, Veena George, confirmed the death and stated that five cases of this uncommon infection, often referred to as 'brain-eating amoeba,' have been reported in the state previously.

The initial case of the infection was reported in the Thirumala ward of Alappuzha in 2016. Subsequently, two cases were confirmed in Malappuram in 2019 and 2020, and one case each was reported in Kozhikode and Thrissur in 2020 and 2022, respectively, as mentioned by the minister.

“It’s a rare condition, and only one in ten thousand will contact it. The health department has taken adequate measures to sanitize the area from where the disease was reported. Before this, only five persons in the state suffered from the condition,” she said in an official communication.

In response to these incidents, district health officials have advised individuals to refrain from bathing in contaminated water as a preventive measure against the spread of the infection.

What is brain-eating amoeba? Know its symptoms and preventions

A brain-eating amoeba, specifically Naegleria fowleri, is a rare but highly dangerous organism that can cause a rare and often fatal infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). When contaminated water enters the body through the nose, the amoeba can travel to the brain, leading to severe brain inflammation. Initial symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, which may progress to seizures, altered mental state, and coma. Unfortunately, PAM is usually fatal, with only a few cases of survival. Prevention involves avoiding warm freshwater bodies, using nose clips or keeping the head above water during water-related activities, and ensuring the use of properly chlorinated or treated water for nasal irrigation or swimming.