Fourth case of brain-eating amoeba infection reported in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: A fourth case of amoebic meningoencephalitis infection has been reported in Kerala after a 14-year-old boy tested positive for brain-eating amoeba infection on Friday.

The condition of the boy, who is under treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode, is reported to be stable.

All the four cases reported in the last two months are from north Kerala districts. While two were from Kozhikode the other two were from adjacent Malappuram and Kannur districts. Three of them had succumbed to the infection.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting and issued an advisory to avoid taking bath in contaminated water bodies. All swimming pool authorities were directed to ensure proper chlorination.

Amoebic meningoencephalitis is referred to as brain-eating amoeba. The infection enters the human body through contaminated water. It often enters the brain through the nose while diving or swimming. Hence people are advised to use nose clips while using pools and other water bodies.

The near fatal brain infection was earlier reported at Alappuzha in Kerala in 2023 and 2016, at Malappuram in 2019 and 2020, Kozhikode in 2020 and Thrissur in 2022.