What Is Brain-Eating Amoeba That Has Killed Two In Kerala? All You Need To Know

New Delhi: Doctors are strongly suggesting people to avoid swimming in lakes and other water bodies. The reason is that the water there could be contaminated with a brain eating amoeba that has supposedly claimed the lives of two children within a span of one month in Kerala.

Exposure to contaminated water is a major reason for infection from a brain-eating amoeba, according to doctors.

“Amoebic encephalitis” is a rare but fatal central nervous system infection caused by free-living amoebae, “Naegleria fowleri amoeba”, also known as “brain-eating amoeba”, found in freshwater, lakes, and rivers.

Dakshina, a 13-year-old girl from Kannur, died about a week ago after getting infected by the infection Amoebic encephalitis, caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, as mentioned above while in May, a five-year-old girl, also from Kannur succumbed to the infection.

The case of a 12-year-old boy from Kozhikode has been suspected of the disease after he displayed the symptoms of the amoebic infection. Two cases followed within days of a swim in a lake while in Dakshina’s case, it reportedly took several months to manifest.

“Amoebic encephalitis, caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, typically starts one to 9 days after exposure to contaminated water. This infection enters through the nasal cavity and advances rapidly, potentially becoming fatal within days,” said Dr Arjun Srivatsa, Director & HOD, Institute of Neurosciences, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, while talking to the news agency IANS.

Symptoms commonly include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, seizures, hallucinations, sensitivity to light, and coma.

Antimicrobial therapy is the mainstay of the treatment yet the mortality rate is above 90 per cent.

Dr John Paul, Consultant in Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, SPARSH Hospital, Bengaluru, called on parents to “take precautions before allowing children into any waterbody”.

“PAM affects the central nervous system rapidly and the mortality rate is 90 per cent. This usually occurs in healthy children and young adults who would have been exposed to any waterbody that has the presence of amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This amoeba is present in warm and fresh water and the soil,” said Dr John Paul while talking to the news agency IANS.

Dr John explained that a week after contracting the infection, the symptoms progress by causing stiffness in the neck; seizures; confusion, hallucinations, personality changes, photophobia, and loss of balance.

“If not detected at the earlier stages the patient’s symptom progresses to coma, severe brain swelling, and death,” he said.

The experts advised avoiding swimming, diving, or submerging, especially for people who are immunocompromised, to minimise the risk of contracting amoebic encephalitis from contaminated water.

“If swimming is necessary, using nasal clips can provide some protection against Naegleria fowleri entering through the nasal passages,” said Dr Arjun.

(With IANS inputs)