A 10-year-old boy from Thathamangalam, Kollam district, Kerala has been diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and deadly infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The infection is believed to have originated from contaminated water in a canal, as the boy had reportedly been in contact with it shortly before experiencing symptoms like headache and fever. He is currently receiving treatment at SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis is a severe brain infection characterized by rapid onset of symptoms, typically occurring 1 to 9 days after exposure. Initial symptoms may resemble those of bacterial meningitis, including severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and a stiff neck. As the disease advances, patients may experience increasing confusion, seizures, and ultimately, coma. PAM is usually fatal, but timely medical intervention can improve outcomes.
Health officials are conducting field investigations and advising residents to exercise caution around warm, stagnant water bodies, as PAM is often contracted through water entering the nose during activities like swimming and bathing.
This case adds to Kerala’s total of 29 PAM cases this year, with a mortality rate of 26%, significantly lower than the global average of 97%. The majority of cases have been concentrated in Thiruvananthapuram, which has seen an increased incidence this year.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Dr. Sreelekshmi P/MSM)