Brain-Eating Amoeba

Source: Indian Express

Context: Three new cases of the rare and deadly brain-eating amoeba (Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis – PAM) have been reported in Kerala, including the death of a nine-year-old child, raising public health concerns.

About Brain-Eating Amoeba:

• What it is?

• A free-living, single-celled organism (Naegleria fowleri) that causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but fatal brain infection.

• Vector & Transmission:

• It enters the body through the nose while swimming or bathing in contaminated freshwater. It then migrates to the brain, destroying brain tissue. Not spread by drinking water and not person-to-person contagious.

• It enters the body through the nose while swimming or bathing in contaminated freshwater.

• It then migrates to the brain, destroying brain tissue.

• Not spread by drinking water and not person-to-person contagious.

• Where it is Found:

• Warm freshwater bodies: lakes, rivers, poorly maintained swimming pools, splash pads. Survives in warm environments up to 46°C (115°F). Also detected in soil and dust in some cases.

• Warm freshwater bodies: lakes, rivers, poorly maintained swimming pools, splash pads.

• Survives in warm environments up to 46°C (115°F).

• Also detected in soil and dust in some cases.

• Symptoms:

• Early stage: Headache, fever, nausea, vomiting. Later stage: Stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, coma. Rapid progression often leads to death within 5–18 days of symptom onset.

• Early stage: Headache, fever, nausea, vomiting.

• Later stage: Stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, coma.

• Rapid progression often leads to death within 5–18 days of symptom onset.

• Treatment:

• No single effective cure identified. Current treatment: Combination therapy with antifungals and antibiotics (e.g., Amphotericin B, Miltefosine, Fluconazole, Azithromycin). Survival rate is extremely low worldwide (around 3%), though Kerala has reported better outcomes due to early detection.

• No single effective cure identified.

• Current treatment: Combination therapy with antifungals and antibiotics (e.g., Amphotericin B, Miltefosine, Fluconazole, Azithromycin).

• Survival rate is extremely low worldwide (around 3%), though Kerala has reported better outcomes due to early detection.