Kinkini Gupta
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Written By: Kinkini Gupta | Updated : September 24, 2024 6:13 PM IST
Suspected 'Brain-Eating Amoeba' Infection Kills Another Man In Kerala: What Is Amoebic Encephalitis?
A suspected cases of brain- eating amoeba infection lead to the death another man in Kerala's Kasaragod district. As per reports, the 38-year-old man was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kannur and passed away on Sunday (September 22, 2024) evening. The deceased, identified as M. Manikandan was taken ill after he returned home from Mumbai. He was suffering from fever and sought the initial treatment from Government General Hospital, Kasaragod. He was later transferred to a private hospital in Kannur. Here, doctors diagnosed him with possible symptoms of amoebic encephalitis.
Brain-eating amoeba infection has been spreading in Kerala since the last two months. The case of Manikandan is suspected to the the fifth victim in two months. In the month of July, Kerala had issued an alert regarding the spread of the deadly brain eating amoeba among people. Four cases of Amoebic meningoencephalitis had been reported including three deaths and all four victims were children, as per reports.
According to Journal Cleveland Clinic, brain-eating amoeba or Amoebic Encephalitis is caused by Naegleria fowleri amoeba which typically thrives in shallow bodies of lakes, fresh water, rivers and hot springs and also soil. People who come in contact with this can catch the fatal disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM is a deadly infection that impacts the nervous system and can very easily turn fatal. This amoeba infects the brain and that is why it is called brain-eating amoeba.
The brain-eating amoeba infection is very rare but it is equally dangerous. Since it is found in shallow bodies of lakes, fresh water, rivers, hot springs and soil, people spending time in these places may be at high risk. Infection risk in high during summers. Almost 97 per cent of cases people die after catching this infection.
This infection is most likely to happen when the atmospheric temperature is high and water levels are low. As per experts, the amoeba enters the body through the nose and reaches the brain. It causes damage to the brain tissues leading to inflammation that can turn fatal.
