– Brain-Eating Amoeba Fatality
– Kerala KozhiKode Amoeba Outbreak.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Representative Image: Amoeba In Water
Photo : iStock
Kochi: A tragic incident unfolded in Kerala as a 14-year-old boy succumbed to a rare brain-eating amoebic infection known as amoebic meningoencephalitis, contracted from contaminated waters. The Kerala state health department confirmed the unfortunate demise of the boy, identified as Mridul, at 11:20 pm on Wednesday.
According to a report by PTI, this marks the third fatality due to the infection in the southern state since May. The first two casualties were a five-year-old girl from Malappuram on May 21 and a 13-year-old girl from Kannur on June 25.
Health department officials revealed that the boy had come in contact with the amoeba after swimming in a small pond, prompting immediate preventive measures. Medical experts explained that the infection occurs when non-parasitic amoebae from contaminated water enter the body through the nasal passage. The health authorities have issued a cautionary advisory to raise awareness about amoebic meningoencephalitis.
Previous cases of the disease were reported in the coastal Alappuzha district of the state in 2023 and 2017. With the concerning rise in amoebic meningoencephalitis incidences, Kerala has declared a health emergency and plans to release specific guidelines to combat the disease.
Understanding Amoebic Meningoencephalitis
Amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare yet deadly infection of the central nervous system caused by free-living amoebae present in freshwater bodies such as lakes and rivers. Despite antimicrobial therapy, studies by the National Institute of Health have shown a mortality rate exceeding 90 percent in cases of this infection.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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– Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills 14-Year-Old in Kerala’s KozhiKode
– Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Teen in Kerala’s KozhiKode.