The Health Minister of Kerala, Veena George, on Friday said a teenager from Alappuzha district died due to a rare brain infection caused by free-living amoebae found in contaminated waters. The 15-year-old, hailing from Panavalli in Alappuzha district, was diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
The minister confirmed the tragic incident and noted that this was the sixth reported case of such a rare infection in the state.
According to the Health Minister, the first case of this rare brain infection was reported in the Thirumala ward of Alappuzha in 2016. Subsequently, two cases were confirmed in Malappuram in 2019 and 2020, while individual cases were reported in Kozhikode and Thrissur in 2020 and 2022, respectively. During a press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram, the minister shared this information with reporters.
The primary symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, vomiting, and seizures. Unfortunately, all the patients infected with this condition have died, resulting in a 100 percent mortality rate for this rare brain infection, as stated by Minister George.
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The minister also mentioned that the free-living amoebae responsible for causing the infection are typically found in stagnant water. Medical professionals have explained that the human brain becomes infected when these non-parasitic amoeba bacteria enter the body through the nose.
Given the seriousness of this disease, district health officials have advised individuals to refrain from bathing in contaminated water to prevent infection.
