Kerala Boy Dies After Dip in Pond from Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba, Third Case Reported in 45 Days

Kozhikode: In a third case within 45 days, a 14-year-old boy in Kerala has lost his life after taking a dip in a pond; the doctors have said that amoebic meningoencephalitis is the cause of death.

14-Year-Old Boy Loses Life after Dip in Pond

The 14-year-old boy, who swam in a small pond, contracted amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare infection caused in polluted, contaminated water by free-living amoeba.

After contracting the infection, the boy was being treated at a private hospital in Kerala but eventually succumbed to the infection.

Third Case Reported in 45 Days

This is not the first case where a child has lost its life due to the rare brain-eating amoeba; two such cases have been reported earlier.

The first case was reported on May 21 when a five-year-old girl from Malappuram lost her life to this deadly infection.

The second case was of a 13-year-old girl from Kannur, who passed away after contracting the amoebic meningoencephalitis.

What is Amoebic Meningoencephalitis?

Caused by amoeba Naegleria Fowleri which is found in warm freshwater sources, it can enter through the nose and cause brain tissue inflammation.

Symptoms and Treatment of Amoebic Meningoencephalitis

The symptoms of the amoebic meningoencephalitis include-

• Headache
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Altered mental state

There is no widely effective treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis as of now but the doctors are managing patients with a combination of medications.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that as soon as the symptoms begin to show, patients' condition deteriorates very quickly often resulting in them entering a coma and eventually passing away within five days.