Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis infections, though rare, are fatal and 97% of the patients don’t survive. Image for representation purposes only. File
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The story so far:
A12-year-old boy, E.P. Mridul, from Feroke in Kozhikode district of Kerala, who had been undergoing treatment for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) at a private hospital, died on Wednesday night.
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This is the third death due to the rare and fatal infection in the past two months in the State. V. Dakshina, 13, of Kannur died of the infection at a private hospital in Kozhikode on June 12. Fadva, 5, of Munniyur in Malappuram, died at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on May 20.
What is PAM?
PAM is caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers. It can also survive in poorly maintained swimming pools in rare cases. Because it can infect the brain and destroy the tissues, this one-celled organism is also called ‘brain-eating amoeba’. These infections, though rare, are fatal and 97% of the patients don’t survive.
How does the amoeba infect people?
The infection happens when people go for a swim in lakes, ponds or rivers, during summer. Experts say that it could occur if the atmospheric temperature is high and the water levels are low. The amoeba enters the body through the nose and reaches up to the brain. It destroys brain tissues and causes their swelling. In recent cases, children are found more vulnerable to it.
What are the symptoms of PAM?
According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States, headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting are its early symptoms. The progress can happen rapidly. Stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance, and hallucinations are the later symptoms. Most people die within one to 18 days. It usually leads to coma and death after five days, says the CDC.
How is it diagnosed and what are the treatment methods available?
The infection can be diagnosed through lab tests. However since it is a rare infection, the detection can sometimes be hard. In Kozhikode, the doctors at the Government Medical College Hospital suspected its possibility in the five-year-old girl from Malappuram after she exhibited symptoms similar to that of bacterial meningitis. There are no standard treatment methods available in the country and the doctors are following the guidelines of the CDC now.
