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KOZHIKODE: The health department is grappling with a surge in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) cases, a development that has perplexed experts. Though the Southwest monsoon is currently on in the state, the state is witnessing an unusual spike in this typically warm-weather infection.
Amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare but severe brain infection caused by amoeba, which usually thrives in extreme temperatures. However, the current climatic conditions in Kerala, characterised by persistent rainfall and resulting cooler temperatures, should have curtailed the proliferation of the amoeba.
Things took a turn for the worse after four youths from Nellimoodu in Thiruvananthapuram tested positive for amoebic meningoencephalitis. It’s for the first time in the state that the infection was confirmed in adults and one of them even died of the infection on July 23.
Specialist in infectious diseases Dr Rajesh Kumar said, “We did not expect an increase in amoebic meningoencephalitis cases during the rainy season. Typically, this amoeba proliferates in warmer climates. The current trend is both alarming and unusual.”
Efforts are under way to identify the sources of infection and implement containment measures. Public health advisories urging residents to avoid swimming in freshwater bodies and to maintain strict personal hygiene have been issued.
Experts said that Naegleria fowleri, also known as ‘brain eating amoeba’, the most reported variant of PAM, occurred following exposure to warm, fresh water in lakes and rivers or any stagnant water body during summer. It can also live in hot springs or warm water discharged from industrial plants, poorly maintained swimming pools with minimal or no chlorination and soil. It can even grow in water heaters at temperatures of up to 115° F (46° C) and survive for short periods at higher temperatures.
Naegleria does not live in salt water. When people, usually children or young adults, swim in contaminated water, the amoebas can enter the central nervous system through the nose. When they reach the brain, they cause inflammation and tissue destruction, which usually progress rapidly to death.
Dr Reshma Rajan, a public health expert, who emphasised the need for immediate action said, “The government is investigating all possible sources of contamination. It is crucial for the public to follow safety guidelines and for healthcare providers to remain vigilant in diagnosing and treating potential cases.”
The state government has allocated additional resources to the health department to manage the crisis. Medical facilities are being equipped to handle the influx of patients and awareness campaigns are being intensified to educate the public on risks and preventive measures.
The health department continues to monitor the situation closely, hoping to understand the underlying factors contributing to this unprecedented rise in amoebic meningitis cases during an atypical season.
In the past two months, seven cases of the infection were reported in the state --from Malappuram district, Kozhikode, Kannur and Thrissur.
ONE MORE CASE CONFIRMED IN T’PURAM
T’Puram: Amoebic Meningoencephalitis was confirmed in a 40-year-old man from Peroorkada who is undergoing treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital. Another youth from Nellimoodu was also admitted to the hospital exhibiting symptoms of the disease on Tuesday. There are now five confirmed cases and one suspected case of Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in the district.Of the five confirmed cases, one person died on July 23. The deceased is Poothamkode native P S Akhil. The other five (including the suspected case) are undergoing treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. “One patient’s condition is severe, while the others are stable. We have started treatment with antibiotics, including Miltefosine tablets imported from Germany,” said a doctor at the hospital
