India's Kerala reports fourth case of rare brain-eating amoeba infection; death toll at three
Representative image of a hospital.
The Indian state of Kerala has reported the fourth case ofamoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters. The latestcase is fromPayyoliwhere a 14-year-old boy was found infected, the news agency PTI reported on Saturday (July 6) citing hospital sources where he was being treated.
One of the doctors treating the teenager said that he was hospitalised on Monday (July 1), and his condition was improving. The doctor said that the infection was identified quickly at the hospital and treatment was given immediately.
Three deaths reported in state so far
So far, three people in Kerala have died due toamoebic meningoencephalitis, since the infection was detected in May. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy in Kozhikode died ofamoebic meningoencephalitis.
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Before him,a five-year-old girl from Malappuram and a 13-year-old girl from Kannur -- died on May 21 and June 25, respectively due to the infection, PTI reported.
CM Vijayan holds meeting over infection crisis
On Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a meeting to discuss issues related to theamoebic meningoencephalitis crisis. Chief Minister Vijayan instructed that people should avoid swimming in unclean water bodies, and emphasised that swimming pools must be properly chlorinated.
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"Children are particularly susceptible to this disease, so extra caution should be taken when they enter water bodies. The use of swimming nose clips can help prevent the infection," the chief minister further said.
What to know aboutamoebic meningoencephalitis
Amoebic meningoencephalitis is a very rare disease which occurswhen Naegleria fowleri, a type of amoeba, infects the brain.
This disease is not transmitted from human to human. The amoeba that lives in stagnant water enters the human body through the thin skin of the nose and causes encephalitis, which seriously affects the brain.
Symptoms appear within one to nine days of infection. The primary symptoms include severe headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Later, when it reaches a critical condition, there are symptoms like epilepsy, loss of consciousness and memory loss.
(With inputs from agencies)