Categories: Trending now

Kerala teen dies of brain-eating amoeba: All you need to know about Naegleria fowleri | Trending

2024-07-05 17:10:02

A 14-year-old succumbed to amoebic meningoencephalitis infection on Wednesday night in Kerala. This is the third fatality from the brain-eating amoeba in the last two months in Kerala, health officials say. The teenager, from Kerala’s Kozhikode, had been hospitalised on June 24 after exhibiting symptoms like severe headache, nausea and vomiting. He is suspected to have caught the infection while bathing in a stream near his house.

Brain-eating amoeba, naegleria fowleri is an amoeba (a single-celled living organism) that can cause infections in the brain. (source: CDC)

Top trend on Google

“Kerala brain-eating amoeba” is trending at the top spot on Google Trends this morning. The term has received over 10,000 searches. The brain-eating amoeba began trending on Google after the Kerala teenager’s death was reported. Infection from this single-celled organism is often fatal.

What is the “brain-eating amoeba”?

Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba, is a rare but dangerous microorganism that can cause a severe infection of the brain known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The amoeba can cause significant damage to the brain tissue.

What are the symptoms of amebic meningoencephalitis?

The symptoms of primary amebic meningoencephalitis typically manifest two to 15 days after exposure. The symptoms progress rapidly. In early stages, PAM diagnosis can be difficult as the symptoms closely resemble those of bacterial or viral meningitis.

Early stage symptoms of Naegleria fowleri infection include very painful headache, high fever, stiff neck, nausea and/or vomiting.

In the later stages, the patient can become confused, disoriented, suffer from seizures, loss of balance and may slip into a coma. The infection is nearly always fatal.

Where is Naegleria fowleri found?

According to the USA’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the amoeba thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs. In rare cases, it may also be found in poorly-maintained swimming pools.

How is it contracted and transmitted?

Infection occurs when Naegleria fowleri enters the body through the nose. This is because the brain-eating amoeba can easily access the brain through the olfactory nerve, which is located near the nasal cavity.

Swallowing water containing the Naegleria fowleri amoeba does not lead to infection

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from person to person. According to Cleveland Clinic, there have been no cases of the infection being spread from person to person.

Can it be treated?

PAM progresses very quickly and is often difficult to diagnose. It is fatal in 97% of the cases.

However, some survivors in North America were treated with a combination of drugs that included amphotericin B, rifampin, fluconazole and a drug called miltefosine, the CDC said.

News Today

Recent Posts

Kareena Kapoor’s Next Untitled Film With Meghna Gulzar Gets Prithviraj Sukumaran On Board

Kareena Kapoor is working with Raazi director Meghna Gulzar for her next film. The project,…

17 hours ago

Purdue basketball freshman Daniel Jacobsen injured vs Northern Kentucky

2024-11-09 15:00:03 WEST LAFAYETTE -- Daniel Jacobsen's second game in Purdue basketball's starting lineup lasted…

17 hours ago

Rashida Jones honors dad Quincy Jones with heartfelt tribute: ‘He was love’

2024-11-09 14:50:03 Rashida Jones is remembering her late father, famed music producer Quincy Jones, in…

17 hours ago

Nosferatu Screening at Apollo Theatre Shows Student Interest in Experimental Cinema – The Oberlin Review

2024-11-09 14:40:03 A silent German expressionist film about vampires accompanied by Radiohead’s music — what…

17 hours ago

What Are Adaptogens? Find Out How These 3 Herbs May Help You Tackle Stress Head-On

Let's face it - life can be downright stressful! With everything moving at breakneck speed,…

17 hours ago

The new Mac Mini takes a small step towards upgradeable storage

Apple’s redesigned Mac Mini M4 has ditched the previous M2 machine’s SSD that was soldered…

17 hours ago