A week earlier, Dakshina, a 13-year-old girl from Kannur succumbed due to the same infection caused by the Naegleria amoeba and a month ago a 5-year-old girl died in Kozhikode Medical College.
A 12-year-old boy in Kozhikode has been suspected of rare and fatal brain infection – Amoebic meningoencephalitis, after showing symptoms for days. The boy’s condition is critical and is under ventilator support. He was admitted to the hospital on Monday showing odd symptoms and had reportedly bathed in a pond called Achankulam, in the Farook College area, Kozhikode. A week earlier, Dakshina, a 13-year-old girl from Kannur succumbed due to the same infection caused by the Naegleria amoeba and a month ago a 5-year-old girl died in Kozhikode Medical College. In her case, it reportedly took several months to detect the disease.
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According to Dr. Arjun Srivatsa, Director & HOD – Institute of Neurosciences, Sakra World Hospital, told IANS, Amoebic meningoencephalitis or Amoebic encephalitis is caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, and it typically sticks one to 9 days after exposure to contaminated water. This infection enters via the nasal cavity and advances swiftly, showing symptoms like fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, loss of balance, seizures, hallucinations, sensitivity to light, and coma potentially leading to a fall within days.
The doctor also advised to avoid swimming, diving, or submerging, especially for those who are immunocompromised, to lower the risk of contracting amoebic encephalitis from contaminated water. “If swimming is necessary, using nasal clips can aid protection against Naegleria fowleri entering into the nasal passages and then into your brain,” he added.
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Experts informed parents to take major precautions to prevent this hazardous plight, they are advised to give instructions before allowing into any waterbody. This disease affects the central nervous system in the spur of a moment and the mortality rate is almost 90%. This usually occurs in very healthy children and young adults who would have been exposed to any waterbody that has the presence of amoeba Naegleria fowleri as it is also present in soil and other water resources.
