Brain-eating amoeba scare: Kerala on high alert as 17 die; facts, new advisories

Dubai: Kerala is facing a dangerous health scare with a sudden spike in Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but deadly brain infection caused by the so-called “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri.

In the past nine months, 17 people have died — including a three-month-old infant, a nine-year-old girl, and a 52-year-old woman in Kozhikode last month. Seven deaths were reported in September alone, and active cases are still being treated in hospitals across districts.

Kerala’s case profile

• 52 confirmed cases in 2025 so far.

• Patients range from 3 months to 91 years old.

• 33 males and 19 females diagnosed.

• Multiple clusters reported in August–September 2025, marking the most intense outbreak on record.

• Kerala also reported cases in 2024 across Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kannur, prompting a central investigation and guidelines.

Why experts are alarmed

Health officials initially believed only those swimming in ponds, lakes or pools were at risk, as infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose. But recent cases — including the infant who had no pond exposure and patients who bathed only at home — have challenged those assumptions.

While the disease is almost always fatal worldwide (97% mortality), Kerala’s survival rate is much higher at 24%, thanks to earlier diagnosis and aggressive treatment with drugs like miltefosine. Still, the absence of clear prevention measures has left residents anxious.

What happens in the body

• The amoeba thrives in warm freshwater — ponds, rivers, untreated wells, and poorly chlorinated pools.

• It enters via the nose, travels to the brain, and destroys tissue.

• It does not spread person-to-person and cannot survive in seawater.

Symptoms to watch for

• Early (within 1–12 days): high fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck.

• Later: confusion, seizures, hallucinations, loss of balance, coma.

• Death often follows within 5–7 days of symptoms if untreated.

Kerala’s response

Authorities are racing to contain the crisis:

• “Water is Life” chlorination campaign launched across wells, tanks and public bathing areas.

• Fever surveys underway in affected localities.

• Environmental sampling of water sources, plus testing of CSF and nasal swabs.

• Hospitals, including Kozhikode Medical College, put on high alert.

• Awareness drives advising against swimming in ponds or rivers, and urging residents to chlorinate household wells.

How you can stay safe

• Avoid swimming or bathing in untreated ponds, rivers or stagnant water.

• Ensure proper chlorination of household wells and swimming pools.

• Use boiled or filtered water for nasal cleansing or neti pots.

• Wear nose clips when in freshwater to prevent water entering the nose.

• Seek immediate medical care for fever, headache, or neurological symptoms after water exposure.

Bottom line: Kerala is fighting a rare but deadly outbreak of the brain-eating amoeba. The surge across multiple districts shows how warm, contaminated water and monsoon conditions create risk. Quick awareness, safe water practices, and urgent treatment are the state’s only shield against a disease that kills fast and without mercy.