"Tragic Death from Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in Kerala: Understanding Naegleria Fowleri's Deadly Impact"

 "Tragic Death from Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in Kerala: Understanding Naegleria Fowleri's Deadly Impact"

In Kerala, on Wednesday night, a 14-year-old child died from amoebic meningoencephalitis. He was undergoing treatment for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, also known as the "brain-eating amoeba." Health officials say this is the third death from Naegleria fowleri infection in the past two months in Kerala. The infection was traced to a small pond where the boy had been swimming, prompting immediate preventive measures by health authorities.

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is caused by Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled organism found in warm, fresh water and soil. The amoeba enters the body through the nose, usually during water activities. Once inside, it travels to the brain where it destroys brain tissue, causing inflammation.

Early symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. As the infection progresses, symptoms may worsen to include stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and ultimately coma.

Currently, there is no specific treatment for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Doctors use a combination of drugs such as amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine, and dexamethasone, but these treatments have not consistently proven effective.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people infected with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis die within 1 to 18 days after symptoms begin, typically progressing to coma and death approximately five days after symptoms start.