Brain-eating amoeba claims 3 lives in 2 months in Kerala

Kozhikode (Kerala) – Incidents of Amoeba (a type of micro-organism) eating human brains have come to light recently in Kerala. In the last 2 months, 4 such incidents have taken place, out of which three victims have died. In the fourth case, a 14-year-old boy was diagnosed with primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare brain infection. He is undergoing treatment and is said to be improving. This boy is a resident of Payyoli village in Kozhikode District and was admitted to the hospital on 1^stJuly.

Another 14-year-old boy died of this infection on 3^rdJuly. The boy contracted the infection while taking a bath in a small pond. Earlier this disease was found to some extent in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023.

What is this disease ?

This infection occurs when the amoeba bacteria found in contaminated water enters the body through the nose. According to the USA’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, PAM is an infection of the brain caused by a single-celled organism called amoeba or Naegleria fowleri. This amoeba thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs and is commonly referred to as the ‘brain eating amoeba’. This is not a common amoeba and is not curable with common antibiotics. This infection is so fatal that if it is not stopped in time, a person may die within 5 to 10 days.