Kerala: What is 'brain-eating amoeba'? Check causes, symptoms, treatment
A 14-year-old teen succumbed to amoebic meningoencephalitis infection in Kerala on July 3.
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According to health officials, this is the third fatality of "brain-eating amoeba" in Kerala in the last two months.
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Also known as "brain-eating amoeba", Naegleria fowleri is a rare and fatal microorganism that causes severe brain infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
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This amoeba can damage the brain tissue and typically takes two to 15 days to spread. The symptoms progress rapidly after exposure.
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PAM diagnosis can be difficult in early stages as the symptoms closely resemble those of bacterial or viral meningitis.
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Early-stage symptoms of Naegleria fowleri infection include severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, nausea and/or vomiting.
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In the later stages, the patient can become disoriented, and confused, suffer from seizures, lose balance, and may go into a coma. This infection is mostly fatal.
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According to the USA's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Naegleria fowleri amoeba thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, hot springs, and even poorly-maintained swimming pools.
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This amoebic infection can occur when the amoeba enters the body through the olfactory nerve, located near the nasal cavity. Swallowing this amoeba does not lead to infection.
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, PAM is not contagious as there have been no cases of transmission.
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97 percent of the PAM cases are fatal as it is difficult to diagnose and it progresses quickly. However, according to the CDC, some survivors in North America have been treated.