Kerala’s ‘brain-eating amoeba’ kills 17 as mystery infections spread beyond ponds and rivers
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Kerala’s ‘brain-eating amoeba’ kills 17 as mystery infections spread beyond ponds and rivers")
Kerala pond bathing Photograph: (Wikimedia Commons)
Kerala's Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has revised its figures on Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), confirming a total of 17 deaths and 66 infections in 2025. This is a significant increase from an earlier report.
Kerala's Health Department has revised figures on Amebic Meningoencephalitis. The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) confirmed that so far, 17 people have died, and in total, 66 people have been infected with the rare brain-eating amoeba this year. Earlier, the department had said that there were only two confirmed fatalities, with 14 more under review. On September 12, two new cases were reported, raising this month's tally to 19 cases and seven deaths. Officials said surveillance, testing, and environmental monitoring have been stepped up across affected districts.
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Brain-eating amoeba in Kerala
The disease, Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), is caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, often referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba.” It is extremely rare but usually fatal. While the global mortality rate stands at 97 per cent, Kerala’s rate is currently 24 per cent — significantly lower, though still alarming.
The amoeba is believed to infect people when contaminated freshwater enters the nose, typically while swimming or bathing in ponds, rivers, or poorly chlorinated pools. However, health officials admit that recent cases are challenging these assumptions. A three-month-old infant with no pond exposure and patients who only bathed at home have also contracted the infection, raising fears of unknown transmission routes.
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How to protect yourself from the brain-eating amoeba?
Experts have urged practical precautions such as avoiding freshwater exposure, wearing nose clips, and ensuring proper chlorination of pools and wells. However, officials acknowledge these steps may not fully protect against the infection, especially with reports of patients falling ill after ordinary household bathing.
Meanwhile, leptospirosis remains the state’s deadliest infectious disease this year, with 139 deaths, followed by hepatitis A (58), seasonal fevers (38), dengue (33), and rabies (23).
Health authorities have launched awareness drives, fever surveys, and water safety campaigns. "Continuous vigilance, enhanced surveillance, and strict IEC measures are essential," a senior official told ANI.
