By Lekshmy Pavithran
Copyright gulfnews
Dubai: Kerala health authorities are on high alert after reporting 69 cases and 19 deaths from Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) in 2025. The rare and often fatal brain infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba. Cases have been recorded across multiple districts, affecting people from a three-month-old infant to a 91-year-old..Delhi on H3N2 virus alert as cases surge: What UAE travellers should know.Health Minister Veena George said the infections are isolated, not clusters, which has complicated epidemiological investigations. “These are single cases. In 2024, we did see a cluster because people were exposed to the same water source. But this year, there are no clusters, only sporadic cases,” she told ANI.The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Kerala Health Department are closely monitoring the outbreak, which has seen multiple deaths reported in August and September.Kerala has reported similar cases in previous years, including outbreaks in Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Kannur during June–July 2024..How Pakistan’s study shed light on Kerala’s rare brain-eating amoeba case in infant.Kerala’s PAM case profileConfirmed cases in 2025: 69 so farAge range: 3 months to 91 yearsOutbreak pattern: Multiple clusters in August–September 2025, the state’s most intense on recordPrevious cases: 2024 saw infections in Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Kannur, prompting central investigation and health guidelines. What is the brain-eating amoeba?Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, also known as naegleriasis, is a brain infection caused by the protozoan Naegleria fowleri. The amoeba thrives in warm freshwater such as ponds, lakes, and poorly chlorinated pools.Once water enters the nose, the amoeba can travel to the brain, destroying tissue. Symptoms typically include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and hallucinations. It is not spread by drinking contaminated water or through person-to-person contact. The disease is almost always fatal if not diagnosed early. .Rat fever death and rare brain infection put Kerala panchayats on health alert
. How the infection happensEntry point: Nose, during swimming, bathing, or diving in contaminated waterRisk factors: Untreated wells, ponds, rivers, and poorly chlorinated poolsNot found in seawaterGlobal warming and higher freshwater use are increasing encounters with the pathogen, experts warn.Who is at risk?This year, cases range from a 3-month-old baby to a 91-year-old. Affected patients include 33 males and 19 females. Unlike previous years, recent infections are scattered, with some patients having no exposure to ponds — raising new concerns.Symptoms to watch forEarly (1–12 days after exposure):High feverSevere headacheNausea, vomitingStiff neckLater:Confusion, seizures, hallucinationsLoss of balance, comaDeath often occurs within 5–7 days if untreated.Kerala’s response“Water is Life” chlorination drive across wells, tanks, and public bathing areasFever surveys in affected regionsEnvironmental water samplingHospitals placed on high alertAwareness drives warning against swimming in untreated freshwaterKerala’s survival rate — at 24% — is significantly higher than the global 3%, thanks to early detection and aggressive use of drugs like miltefosine.How you can stay safeAvoid swimming or bathing in untreated freshwater sourcesChlorinate household wells and swimming poolsUse boiled or filtered water for nasal cleansing/neti potsWear nose clips when in freshwaterSeek immediate care if fever or neurological symptoms appear after water exposureKerala is facing a rare but deadly outbreak of brain-eating amoeba infections. While the disease remains almost always fatal worldwide, early awareness, safe water practices, and rapid treatment are the state’s best defence. .Tragic loss: Boy dies from brain-eating amoeba after lake swim.Brain-eating amoeba kills fourth person in Pakistan’s Sindh province
