- 61 confirmed PAM cases and 19 deaths reported in Kerala so far this year.
- Patients range from a 3-month-old infant to a 91-year-old.
- Cases are now sporadic across districts (not single-source clusters), complicating investigations.
- Naegleria fowleri (the “brain-eating amoeba”) linked to warm, stagnant freshwater exposure.
GG News Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, 17th Sept: Kerala’s health department has sounded a statewide alert after a sharp rise in Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but often fatal brain infection caused by the “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri.
Health Minister Veena George confirmed that 61 infections and 19 deaths have been recorded this year, with patients ranging from a three-month-old infant to a 91-year-old. Many of the recent deaths occurred in the past few weeks.
Officials said the current pattern is alarming: unlike earlier clusters, the latest cases are scattered across districts including Kozhikode and Malappuram, complicating epidemiological tracking.
What Is PAM?
A Kerala government advisory describes PAM as a disease that destroys brain tissue, causing severe swelling and rapid death. The amoeba enters through the nasal passages when people swim, dive, or bathe in warm, stagnant freshwater. Drinking contaminated water does not cause infection. Symptoms—headache, fever, nausea, vomiting—appear within nine days of exposure and resemble bacterial meningitis, often delaying diagnosis until it is too late.
Climate Link
The advisory warns that global warming is raising water temperatures and increasing recreational use of freshwater, heightening the risk of encounters with N. fowleri.
Treatment Challenges
Survival is rare; almost all known survivors were diagnosed early and treated with an aggressive antimicrobial combination. “Early detection is key,” Minister George stressed, urging residents to seek immediate medical attention for meningitis-like symptoms after freshwater exposure.
Precautions Urged
Authorities advise avoiding swimming or bathing in untreated or stagnant water, wearing nose clips in freshwater, and ensuring proper cleaning and chlorination of wells and water tanks. Environmental sampling is underway with the National Centre for Disease Control to pinpoint contamination sources.
