Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba Causes Sixth Death in Kerala This Month

Malappuram (Kerala): A 47-year-old man from Malappuram district in northern Kerala died of amoebic meningoencephalitis, marking the sixth death from the fatal infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba in the state in the month.

Shaji, a resident of Chelempra Chaliparambu in Malappuram district, passed away at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on Wednesday night after his condition deteriorated. He had been admitted on August 9 and suffered from liver-related ailments, which made him unresponsive to treatment, according to health officials.

This is the second death from the infection in the past week and the sixth in the last month. Earlier, a woman from Vandur in Malappuram also died from the same brain infection at KMCH. Meanwhile, two more patients — a 10-year-old girl and a woman — tested positive for amoebic meningoencephalitis on Wednesday.

Currently, a total of 10 patients are undergoing treatment across various hospitals, with one reported in critical condition.

Authorities have not yet identified the source of the infection, complicating efforts to contain the outbreak, especially in northern Kerala. Over the past month, six fatalities, including a three-month-old infant and a nine-year-old girl, have been reported in the region.

Amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare but severe brain infection caused by the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The organism typically enters the body through the nose when a person swims or dives in contaminated freshwater and then travels to the brain, causing tissue destruction and swelling.

The infection is not contagious and cannot be contracted by drinking water. Experts have suggested that environmental factors, including climate change, may be contributing to the recent rise in cases.

In response, health authorities have stepped up monitoring and public awareness campaigns to educate communities about the risks and prevention of this deadly infection.

Residents are advised to avoid swimming in unsafe freshwater sources and to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as severe headaches, fever, vomiting, or neurological changes occur.