The health department in Kerala’s Kozhikode district has issued safety guidelines after a nine-year-old girl died and two others fell critically ill from amoebic meningoencephalitis.
The health department in Kerala’s Kozhikode district issued a warning after three cases, including a death, were reported due to amoebic meningoencephalitis or ‘brain eating amoeba’. A nine-year-old girl died from the infection, while two others are currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College. Health department sources confirmed that one of the patients is on a ventilator.
District Medical Officer Dr KK Rajaram emphasised that residents must follow the instructions provided by the health department to prevent further cases.
Amoebic meningoencephalitis occurs when pathogens belonging to the amoeba family, which live freely in water, affect the brain. The disease typically affects individuals who dive or swim in stagnant water. The amoeba can enter the brain either through pores in the thin layer separating the nose and brain or through pores in the eardrum.
The infection has a high mortality rate and is not transmitted from human to human. Symptoms usually appear within five to ten days after exposure and include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty turning the neck or looking at light. Children may show additional signs such as loss of appetite, reluctance to play, lying still, memory loss, seizures, or fainting. The health department advised that anyone with a fever who has recently bathed or swum in stagnant water should inform a doctor immediately.
