KOZHIKODE : Amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare disease, has claimed one more life in the state. A 13-year-old girl who died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode was confirmed with the disease. The deceased is Dakshina, daughter of Ragesh Babu and Dhanya from Thottada in Kannur. The girl succumbed to the disease on June 12. The disease was confirmed in the test report made available on June 25.
Dakshina, initially admitted to a private hospital in Chala, for headaches and vomiting was later transferred to a private hospital in Kozhikode when her condition worsened.
Tests confirmed that she had contracted a rare form of amoebic infection. The timeline of events suggests Dakshina might have contracted the infection during a school trip to Munnar, where she possibly came into contact with the pathogenic amoeba while bathing in a pool. Despite the excursion occurring on January 28, symptoms only began to manifest on May 8, much later than anticipated.
Amoebic meningoencephalitis is caused by amoebae entering the body, often through water sources. Once inside, these amoebae can cause severe inflammation of the brain and its surrounding tissues, leading to neurological symptoms and, in severe cases, death.
The rarity and rapid progression of the infection present significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment, contributing to its high mortality rate.