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Source- This post on the Brain-eating amoeba has been created based on the article “Kerala issues guidelines on amoebic brain infection” published in “The Hindu” on 22 July 2024.
Why in the news?
Recently, five cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis in adolescents, including three deaths, reported in Kerala in the past three months. Health department response issued technical guidelines on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the infection.
About brain-eating amoeba
| Aspects | Description |
| About | 1. Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba,” is a single-cell organism found in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, hot springs, and poorly maintained swimming pools. 2. It was first discovered in Australia in 1965. 3. It is so small that it can only be seen with a microscope. 4. Only one species of Naegleria, Naegleria fowleri, infects humans. |
| How it infects? | 1. The amoeba enters the human body through the nose and then travels to the brain. 2. This typically happens when someone swims, dives, or immerses their head in contaminated freshwater. In some cases, people have been infected by cleaning their nostrils with contaminated water. 3. So far, scientists have not found any evidence of Naegleria fowleri spreading through water vapor or aerosol droplets. 4. Once Naegleria fowleri reaches the brain, it destroys brain tissue and causes a dangerous infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). |
| Transmission | 1. Naegleria fowleri infection does not spread from person to person and does not manifest symptoms when contracted through other forms. 2. The infection is primarily associated with warm freshwater environments, especially during hot summer months when water temperatures are higher. |
| Symptoms | 1. The first signs of PAM appear within one to 12 days after infection. Initially, symptoms might be similar to those of meningitis, including headache, nausea, and fever. 2. In later stages, patients may experience a stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. |
| Chances of Survival | 1. Naegleria fowleri infection is highly fatal, with a recorded death rate of 97%. The chances of survival from this infection are unfortunately low. 2. The infection rapidly destroys brain tissue, leading to inflammation and neurological symptoms such as severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, and coma. 3. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment are crucial, but the prognosis remains grim. |
| Treatment | 1. The US-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends treatment with a combination of drugs, often including amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine, and dexamethasone. 2. These drugs have been used to treat patients who survived. Miltefosine, the newest of these drugs, has been shown to kill Naegleria fowleri in the laboratory and has been used to treat three survivors. |
| Prevention Measures | 1.Swimmers should limit activities in warm freshwater bodies such as lakes, hot springs, and ponds unless these are disinfected with chlorine. 2. It is advisable to use nose protection while swimming or diving, maintain clean swimming pools, and follow proper hygiene practices, including washing hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after water activities and before eating. 3. Additionally, using sterile water for nasal cleaning is recommended. |
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