NAEGLERIA FOWLERI - SCI & TECH

News: Five-year-old girl from Malappuram in Kerala dies of infection from ‘brain-eating amoeba’

 

What's in the news?

       A five-year-old girl from Malappuram district in Kerala who had been undergoing treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis at the Government Medical College Hospital Kozhikode has died.

 

Naegleria fowleri:

       Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as “brain-eating amoeba,” is a single-cell organism found in a warm freshwater environment such as lakes, hot springs and even in poorly maintained swimming pools.

       Only one species of Naegleria, Naegleria fowleri, infects people.

 

Disease:

       The amoeba enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain, leading to a severe and usually fatal brain infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

       It affects the brain by causing inflammation and destruction of brain tissue.

       Brain-eating amoeba can be fatal, with a recorded death rate of 97 percent. The chances of survival from this infection are unfortunately low.

 

Symptoms:

       The symptoms usually appear within a week of infection and include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, seizures and hallucinations.

       As the infection progresses, the patient can slip into coma and ultimately death.

       The amoeba’s ability to rapidly destroy brain tissue makes it a highly lethal infection. Prompt medical intervention is crucial but even with treatment, the survival rate is low.

 

Vulnerable conditions:

       Warm water temperatures, particularly during the summer months, create favourable conditions for the amoeba’s growth.

       Poorly maintained swimming pools or contaminated water sources increase the risk of exposure.

       Activities like diving or jumping into warm freshwater bodies can force water up the nose, providing an entry point for the amoeba.

       It grows best at temperatures above 46 degree celsius. Although trophozoites are killed rapidly by refrigeration, cysts can survive even extreme cold.

 

Spread:

       It is typically acquired through the nasal passage and mouth when a person goes swimming, diving, or even uses contaminated water for religious rituals.

       The amoeba then migrates through the olfactory nerve to the brain, where it causes severe inflammation and destruction of brain tissue.

 

Transmission:

       Naegleria fowleri infection does not spread from person to person, nor does it manifest symptoms when contracted in other forms.

       The infection is primarily associated with a warm freshwater environment, especially during hot summer months when water temperatures are higher. Therefore, they usually flourish between July and September.

 

Preventive measures:

       Preventive measures such as avoiding warm freshwater bodies with inadequate chlorination, using nose clips during water-related activities, and using sterile water for nasal cleansing rituals can help reduce the risk of contracting Naegleria fowleri infection.