Two new cases of brain-eating amoeba in Kerala: How does it spread so aggressively

Recent cases of brain-eating amoeba in India highlight the deadly nature of this pathogen, which thrives in warm freshwater and causes fatal brain infections.

In Short

• The brain-eating amoeba is called Naegleria fowleri
• It causes the fatal brain infection amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) 
• The mortality rate for PAM is extremely high, with over 97% of reported cases being fatal

There are several cases of brain-eating amoeba, a rare but deadly pathogen that causes a fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

This microorganism thrives in warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs. When contaminated water is inhaled, it can enter the body through the nose. The amoeba then travels to the brain, where it destroys brain tissue.

WHY IS THIS AMOEBA DEADLY?

What makes this amoeba particularly dangerous is its rapid and aggressive nature. Once it infects the brain, symptoms can appear within 1 to 9 days, starting with headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, which quickly progress to confusion, seizures, and coma.

The mortality rate for PAM is extremely high, with over 97% of reported cases being fatal. In India, such cases are extremely rare but demand attention due to the severity of the infection.

In Kerala, warm climates and freshwater sources provide an ideal environment for the amoeba to thrive, especially during the monsoon season when bodies of water tend to be stagnant.

Dr Drishya Pillai, a consultant physician at Meditrina Hospital, Palakkad, Kerala, earlier told IndiaToday.in that the high affinity to the brain and the rapid damage thereafter earned Naegleria the name 'brain-eating amoeba.'

The symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, and neck stiffness. But after the infection progresses patients may experience confusion, altered behaviour, seizures, and eventually coma and death.

Awareness about the risk of contracting Naegleria fowleri is crucial, as preventive measures can save lives.

Health experts recommend avoiding swimming or diving in warm freshwater, especially after rainfall, and using clean, filtered water for nasal irrigation.

Early diagnosis is critical, but due to its rapid progression and nonspecific symptoms, PAM is often diagnosed too late, making awareness and prevention the best defenses against this deadly pathogen.