A five-year-old girl in Malappuram district of Kerala , India succumbed to amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare brain infection, official sources stated on Tuesday (May 21). The infection was caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters. This type of brain infection is both rare and severe.
According to official sources, the girl was from Moonniyur panchayat. She had been receiving treatment for over a week at the Kozhikode Medical College’s Institute of Maternal and Child Health. Despite being on a ventilator, she passed away on Monday night, unresponsive to the medication.
Medical experts explained that the infection occurs when free-living, non-parasitic amoebae enter the body through the nose from contaminated water. PTI news agency, citing sources, reported that the girl had bathed in a nearby pond on May 1 and by May 10 showed symptoms of fever, headache, and vomiting.
Other children who bathed with her in the same pond were observed and subsequently discharged after being found free of infection.
What is Naegleria fowleri?
A report by Healthy Children revealed that Naegleria fowleri is a type of amoeba that is usually found in warm freshwater and moist soil. It likes heat, thus it is most commonly found in the water during the summer.
However, Naegleria fowleri can also be found in the silt at the bottom of freshwater bodies at considerably lower temperatures.
The report added that Naegleria fowleri can also grow in hot water heaters, pipes, and water systems. This includes systems that are treated for public drinking. It hasn’t been found in salt water.
How can Naegleria fowleri infect people?
Naegleria fowleri infections occur when water containing the amoeba enters the nose, allowing it to migrate up the nasal cavity into the brain. This can lead to Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a nearly always fatal infection that rapidly destroys brain tissue.