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Science & Tech.
Mahesh

11/07/23 08:15 AM IST

Brain-eating amoeba

In News
  • A 15-year-old boy in Kerala’s Alappuzha district has died due to a rare infection caused by Naegleria fowleri or “brain-eating amoeba.
Brain Eating Amoeba
  • Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as “brain-eating amoeba,” is a single-cell organism found in a warm freshwater environment such as lakes, hot springs and even in poorly maintained swimming pools.
  • It is so small that it can only be seen with a microscope. Only one species of Naegleria, Naegleria fowleri, infects people.
  • In very rare instances, Naegleria fowleri has been found in swimming pools, splash pads, surf parks, or other recreational venues that are poorly maintained or don’t have enough chlorine in them.
  • The amoeba enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain, leading to a severe and usually fatal brain infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
  • Although the amoeba becomes vulnerable in its maturing or trophozoite phase, as a cyst it becomes resistant to its environment.
  • It grows best at temperatures above 46 degree celsius. Although trophozoites are killed rapidly by refrigeration, cysts can survive even extreme cold.
  • Warm water temperatures, particularly during the summer months, create favourable conditions for the amoeba’s growth.
  • Poorly maintained swimming pools or contaminated water sources increase the risk of exposure. Activities like diving or jumping into warm freshwater bodies can force water up the nose, providing an entry point for the amoeba.
Spread
  • It is typically acquired through the nasal passage and mouth when a person goes swimming, diving, or even uses contaminated water for religious rituals.
  • The amoeba then migrates through the olfactory nerve to the brain, where it causes severe inflammation and destruction of brain tissue.
Prevention
  • Preventive measures such as avoiding warm freshwater bodies with inadequate chlorination, using nose clips during water-related activities, and using sterile water for nasal cleansing rituals can help reduce the risk of contracting Naegleria fowleri infection.
How one know the infection?
  • Once in the brain, it causes a condition called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
  • This affects the brain by causing inflammation and destruction of brain tissue.
  • The symptoms usually appear within a week of infection and include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, seizures and hallucinations.
  • As the infection progresses, the patient can slip into coma and ultimately death.
  • The amoeba’s ability to rapidly destroy brain tissue makes it a highly lethal infection. Prompt medical intervention is crucial but even with treatment, the survival rate is low.
Source- Indian Express

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