Understanding the Threat of Brain-Eating Amoeba in Kerala

Mon Oct 20 2025 19:49:54 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A deep dive into the increasing cases of Naegleria fowleri in Kerala and how the local health authorities are battling this rare but dangerous infection.

In Kerala, India, a rare brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri has caused alarm as more than 70 cases have been reported this year, resulting in 19 fatalities. Despite its rarity, the amoeba infects people through freshwater, raising concerns about water safety in the region. Health officials focus on awareness and early detection to combat the infection, which can cause acute brain damage. Climate change may exacerbate its spread, highlighting the urgent need for prevention and safety measures.

On the eve of Onam, the most joyous festival in India's Kerala state, 45-year-old Sobhana lay shivering in the back of an ambulance, drifting into unconsciousness as her family rushed her to a medical college hospital.

Just days earlier, the Dalit woman had complained of nothing more alarming than dizziness and high blood pressure. However, her condition spiralled rapidly to severe fever and violent shivers, leading to her untimely death on September 5, the main day of the festival. The culprit? Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba, an infection often contracted through the nose while swimming in freshwater and deemed so rare that many doctors may never encounter a case in their careers.

This year alone, Kerala has reported over 70 cases, with 19 fatalities, highlighting a growing concern as patients of various ages, from infants to a 92-year-old man, fall prey to the infection. The amoeba, which feeds on bacteria in warm freshwater, rapidly damages brain tissue, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Since cases began to appear in Kerala in 2016, survival rates are slowly improving due to better testing and earlier diagnosis. Health practitioners attribute this to state-of-the-art laboratories allowing early detection of the amoeba, significantly boosting survival rates.

Local health authorities have undertaken significant measures in response: millions of wells have been chlorinated, and swimming pools are regularly monitored for safety. Sign boards now warn against swimming in potentially unsafe ponds.

However, the challenge remains vast as Kerala relies heavily on freshwater sources. Many communities draw water from potentially polluted ponds and wells, raising public health alarms. Climate change furthers the risk, creating warmer environments conducive to amoebic growth and increasing public health alertness.

As Kerala grapples with these challenges, the lessons learned may resonate beyond its borders, emphasizing that even rare pathogens can become more prevalent as environmental conditions shift.