Kerala Teenager Killed By Rare Brain Infection Caused By Free-Living Amoebae In Water

A teenager affected by a rare brain infection caused by free-living amoebae living in contaminated waters died in Kerala's Alappuzha district, state Health Minister Veena George said on Friday.

The 15-year-old native of nearby Panavalli in Alappuzha district was infected with the disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.

Confirming the boy's death, the minister said five such cases of the rare infection had been reported in the state before.

The first was reported in Thirumala ward of Alappuzha in 2016, she said. Two cases were confirmed in Malappuram in 2019 and 2020 and one each was reported in Kozhikode and Thrissur in the years 2020 and 22 respectively, she told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The main symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, vomiting, and seizures.

"All the infected patients had died," George said, adding that the mortality rate for the rare brain infection was 100 per cent.

The free-living amoebae, which cause the infection, are found in still water, the minister added.

According to doctors, the human brain gets infected when the free-living, non-parasitic amoeba bacteria enters the body through the nose.

Considering the severe nature of the disease, district health officials have advised people to avoid taking baths in contaminated water.

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