In Kerala, another death has been confirmed due to amoebic encephalitis, a deadly brain infection. The patient was undergoing treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
Currently, 17 patients are being treated at the same hospital for the disease, which is caused by free-living amoebae found in contaminated water.
Over the past one and a half months, 15 people have lost their lives to amoebic encephalitis in the state. In response, the State Health Department has stepped up precautionary measures.
People are being advised to use only chlorinated water and to avoid diving or bathing in unclean ponds and water bodies.
So far, 100 people have been confirmed with the disease. The increased death rates are raising serious public health concerns.
Health authorities said Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts in the south are the most affected, while cases are also increasing in Kozhikode and Malappuram in the north.
Amoebic encephalitis, also known as amoebic meningoencephalitis, is an extremely rare but serious brain infection that affects roughly one in 10,000 people. The disease is caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that invades the brain but is not transmitted from person to person.
The amoeba typically lives in stagnant or warm freshwater sources such as ponds, lakes, and poorly maintained pools. It enters the human body through the nasal passages, often while bathing or swimming, and travels to the brain, causing severe inflammation known as encephalitis.
Symptoms
Symptoms usually appear within one to nine days after exposure. Early signs include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and stiffness in the neck. As the infection progresses, more serious symptoms such as seizures, fainting, and memory loss may develop. Diagnosis is made by analysing a sample of cerebrospinal fluid.
Prevention
The infection occurs mainly when contaminated or stagnant water enters the nose. To reduce the risk, avoid bathing or swimming in stagnant or unclean water and refrain from rinsing the nose with untreated water.
Anyone experiencing related symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Health experts note that children and adults can safely use properly chlorinated swimming pools.