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.