The health department in Kerala’s Kozhikode district has released a set of safety guidelines after the tragic death of a nine-year-old girl and the critical illness of two others due to amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but deadly infection commonly referred to as the ‘brain-eating amoeba’. Authorities reported that all three cases were detected in Kozhikode, with one child succumbing to the disease and two more patients currently under intensive treatment at Kozhikode Medical College. Among the surviving cases, one patient has been placed on a ventilator owing to the severity of the illness, according to health officials who are closely monitoring their condition.
District Medical Officer Dr. KK Rajaram urged residents of the district to take the warning seriously and to strictly comply with the preventive measures laid out by the health department. He stressed that such proactive steps were essential to prevent further spread of the infection and to safeguard vulnerable individuals, particularly children, who may unknowingly come into contact with contaminated water sources.
Amoebic meningoencephalitis develops when free-living amoeba species, which are naturally found in stagnant water bodies, gain entry into the human body and affect the brain. This usually happens when a person engages in swimming, bathing, or diving in contaminated water. The amoeba can invade the brain by traveling through the delicate nasal passage that separates the nose from the brain, or in some cases, through tiny pores in the eardrum. Once it reaches the brain, the infection rapidly progresses, making early detection and prevention extremely critical.
Medical experts have warned that the disease has an alarmingly high mortality rate and does not spread from one person to another, ruling out human-to-human transmission. Symptoms are known to appear within five to ten days after exposure and often include intense headaches, high fever, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and stiffness in the neck. Children, in particular, may exhibit additional warning signs such as a noticeable loss of appetite, refusal to play, prolonged inactivity, confusion or memory lapses, seizures, or even sudden fainting episodes. The health department has urged that individuals who develop a fever after swimming or bathing in stagnant water should seek immediate medical advice without delay.
To curb the risk of further cases, the health department has outlined a comprehensive set of precautions. People are advised to avoid swimming or bathing in stagnant water bodies altogether and to wear protective nose clips if swimming cannot be avoided. Authorities have also stressed the importance of maintaining swimming pools and water parks with proper chlorination, as well as discouraging activities like diving into unclean water or washing the face and mouth with stagnant water. Individuals with recent nose or ear surgeries, or those experiencing ear pus, have been specifically advised against diving or exposing themselves to potentially contaminated water.
Health officials have additionally directed that wells should be chlorinated regularly under the supervision of trained health workers to ensure safety. Swimming pools must be completely drained once every week, with thorough scrubbing of walls and floors, followed by proper drying before refilling. Filtration systems must also be cleaned regularly, and chlorination should be performed after every refill to keep the water free of harmful microorganisms. The health department has confirmed that health workers will continue providing detailed guidance on chlorination practices for both wells and swimming pools as part of the wider effort to protect public health in the region.
