Brain-Eating Amoeba Claims 19 Lives in India’s Kerala
(MENAFN) Kerala, a southern state in India, is grappling with a severe health emergency as an outbreak of a rare “brain-eating amoeba” has claimed 19 lives and infected numerous others, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The illness, known as Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), is caused by naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba thriving in warm freshwater and soil. The parasite enters the body through the nose and aggressively attacks brain tissue, causing rapid swelling and inflammation that can prove fatal within days.
Victims range widely in age, from just three months old to 91 years, complicating efforts to pinpoint common exposure sources or control the outbreak.
Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, labeled the crisis a “serious public health concern.” She highlighted a key challenge, saying, “we are not seeing clusters linked to a single water source.” George told media, “These are single, isolated cases, which has complicated our epidemiological investigations.”
She emphasized the critical need for prompt intervention: “Early detection is key,” noting Kerala’s survival rate of 24% far surpasses the global average of less than 3%. This improved outcome, she explained, stems from early diagnosis and treatment with the anti-parasitic drug miltefosine.
A government physician speaking to a news outlet indicated that while case numbers remain limited, “tests are being conducted on a large scale across the state to detect and treat cases.” Authorities have intensified water sanitation efforts and urged residents to avoid unchlorinated or stagnant freshwater bodies.
A Kerala government report referenced by media warns that PAM targets the central nervous system, predominantly affecting otherwise healthy children, teenagers, and young adults. Experts clarify that infection does not result from drinking contaminated water but from water entering the nasal passages during activities such as swimming, bathing, or diving in unsafe water.
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