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

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The brain-eating amoeba from Kerala is trending on Google Trends this morning. The term has received over 10,000 searches. Brain-eating amoeba started trending on Google after the death of the Kerala teenager was reported. Infection with 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 serious brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The amoeba can cause significant damage to brain tissue.

What are the symptoms of amoebic meningoencephalitis?

Symptoms of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis usually appear two to fifteen days after exposure. Symptoms progress rapidly. In the early stages, diagnosing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis can be difficult because the symptoms are very similar to those of bacterial or viral meningitis.

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

In advanced stages, the patient may become confused, disoriented, suffer convulsions, loss of balance and fall into a coma. The infection is almost always fatal.

Where is Naegleria fowleri found?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the amoeba thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs. In rare cases, it can 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, located near the nasal cavity.

Ingestion of water containing the amoeba Naegleria fowleri does not result in infection.

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

Can this be treated?

PAM progresses very quickly and its diagnosis is often difficult. It is fatal in 97% of cases.

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