Deadly brain-eating amoeba cases rise in Kerala: Orthopaedic surgeon explains how infection spreads, shares safety tips

With brain-eating amoeba cases rising in Kerala, Orthopaedic Surgeon explains how nasal exposure to unsafe water causes infection and shares tips to stay safe.

Cases of the fatal brain-eating amoeba, first detected in Kerala in 2024, continue to rise as yet another person, a 17-year-old boy from Thiruvananthapuram, has been diagnosed with the infection. According to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme data on September 14, the total number of amoebic meningoencephalitis cases in the state has reached 67, with 18 deaths.

The boy is believed to have contracted the infection after bathing with his friends in a pool. Following the diagnosis, the Kerala health department shut down the swimming pool at Akkulam Tourist Village and sent water samples for testing.

How the infection spreads

In a September 18 Instagram post, Dr Manan Vora, Orthopaedic Surgeon, explained how the infection spreads and shared key tips on how to safeguard yourself.

Dr Manan shares in his post, "It spreads when contaminated water enters your nose, not by drinking. Swimming, bathing, or diving in unsafe water can put you at risk." He highlights that many people mistakenly assume drinking contaminated water is the main cause, but in reality, it is nasal exposure that allows the amoeba to travel to the brain, leading to a potentially fatal infection.

He also shares important tips to protect yourself from this deadly amoeba:

1. Avoid stagnant or poorly maintained pools, lakes, and wells, as these are the most common breeding grounds for harmful microorganisms.

2. Ensure proper chlorination of storage tanks and swimming pools to minimise the risk of contamination, and always check maintenance standards before using them.

3. Never let untreated water enter your nose, whether while bathing, swimming, or washing your face. He stresses that only boiled, filtered, or chlorinated water should be used for everyday purposes to reduce the risk of infection.

About amoebic meningoencephalitis

Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba, is responsible for causing Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). The organism was named after Malcolm Fowler, who documented the first known cases of N. fowleri-induced PAM in Australia in 1965.

The infection was reported for the first time in May 2024, when a five-year-old girl was diagnosed with it. Later that year, three more children, a 13-year-old girl and two 14-year-old boys, also contracted the disease. Sadly, none of the four survived. According to PubMed Central, the five-year-old girl had been exposed to the amoeba after bathing in a local river.

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This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.