DELHI: India has raised a health alert after the number of infections and deaths caused by the rare, water-borne “brain-eating” amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, doubled in the southern state of Kerala compared to last year.
While the overall numbers remain low, Dr. Altaf Ali, a member of the government task force assigned to tackle the issue, told AFP that officials are conducting widespread tests across the state to detect and treat cases.
This year, 19 deaths and 72 infections have been reported, with 9 deaths and 24 cases occurring in September alone. In comparison, the amoeba caused 9 deaths out of 36 reported cases last year.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls it a “brain-eating amoeba” because it can infect the brain and destroy brain tissue. Once it reaches the brain, the infection can lead to death in over 95% of cases.
The amoeba lives in warm lakes and rivers, and infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose. It does not spread from person to person. According to the World Health Organization, symptoms of infection include headache, fever, vomiting, and rapidly progressing to seizures, altered mental status, hallucinations, and coma.
Dr. Ali expressed concern over the increasing spread of the infection, saying that new cases have been reported from across the state, rather than being limited to specific pockets as in the past.
Since 1962, nearly 500 cases have been reported globally, mainly in the United States, India, Pakistan, and Australia.
