Killer Brain-Eating Amoeba in Kerala: Killed 18,A Crisis like Covid?

Killer Brain-Eating Amoeba in Kerala: Killed 18; Health Crisis like Covid?

The recent reports from Kerala about the brain-eating amoeba claiming 18 lives have raised serious concerns.

News from Kerala about the deadly brain-eating amoeba, which has reportedly claimed 18 lives, is deeply concerning. Such cases, though rare, highlight the importance of public awareness, timely medical attention, and preventive measures.

With the recent deaths in Kerala linked to the brain-eating amoeba, some are wondering if we’re entering another COVID-like phase with a new killer disease.

What are your thoughts—how can communities and health systems be better prepared to deal with such unexpected health threats?

How it Spreads

• The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, lives in warm, shallow freshwater environments like lakes, rivers, ponds, and poorly chlorinated pools.
• It enters the human body when contaminated water enters the nose, most commonly during swimming or diving. The infection is not spread by drinking contaminated water or from person to person.

Symptoms

• Symptoms usually appear within a few days to two weeks after exposure.
• Early symptoms: can resemble the flu and include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
  As the infection progresses, symptoms can include a stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, loss of balance, and a coma.

Prevention

• Avoid swimming, diving, or running in warm freshwater: environments like lakes and rivers.
• Use only distilled or sterilized water: for nasal rinsing and neti pots.
• Swimming in properly maintained, chlorinated pools and in salt water: is generally safe.
  Treatment

• PAM is extremely difficult to treat: and has a very high mortality rate (over 97%).
• While a combination of drugs, including antifungal medications and antibiotics, can be used, no treatment is guaranteed, and effectiveness is limited.
• Early diagnosis is crucial but challenging, as symptoms can be mistaken for other infections like meningitis. (Credit:Google)
• This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

How to avoid The deadly amoeba … Naegleria fowleri

If using public water bodies for bathing or swimming, always use well managed swimming pools , avoid bathing in lakes n ponds in the wilderness, avoid stirring up the sediments if bathing in untreated waters .

Where water treatment plants are not available for domestic water supply … heat water to at least 50 C … it will kill all forms of living n cystic forms of the amoeba.

Geysers in our homes have temp above 50c is sureshot assurance .

Treatment of Naegleria fowleri… we are using a combination of medications, including amphotericin B, rifampin, fluconazole, and miltefosine. Supportive management of symptoms is very important .

100% cure is available and is possible . Fatality arises because of late onset of treatment and complications . There is no vaccinations available presently .

It’s definitely alarming to hear about the brain-eating amoeba cases in Kerala, but unlike COVID-19, such infections are extremely rare and usually occur under very specific conditions (such as contaminated warm freshwater entering the nose). That said, the news is a reminder of how important early awareness, quick medical response, and preventive public health measures are. Communities can focus on spreading accurate information, practicing safe water use, and improving access to healthcare. Health systems, on the other hand, should invest in rapid diagnostics, training medical staff to recognize rare infections, and building crisis communication channels. While this may not become a COVID-like pandemic, it teaches us how fragile our preparedness can be and why resilience in public health matters.