Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has reported another death due to amoebic meningoencephalitis (brain infection), with a man from Kollam succumbing to the infection, marking the 15th death in the state within just one and a half months. Meanwhile, two more cases have been confirmed, involving a three-and-a-half-year-old child from Kannur and a six-year-old from Kasaragod.
Both children are undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where officials said their condition is currently stable. A 62-year-old man from Kodumba panchayat in Palakkad was also diagnosed with the disease on Sunday. In 2025, the state recorded 69 cases and 19 deaths, with the amoeba entering the body through the nose during activities like swimming in warm, stagnant freshwater.
Amoebic encephalitis, or amoebic meningoencephalitis, is a rare but deadly brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba found in warm or stagnant freshwater such as ponds, lakes, and poorly maintained pools. The organism enters through the nose, often while swimming or bathing, and travels to the brain, causing severe inflammation.
Symptoms appear within one to nine days and include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, and, in advanced cases, seizures or confusion. The disease cannot spread from person to person. To prevent infection, avoid swimming or bathing in unclean water and refrain from using untreated water for nasal rinsing. Properly chlorinated pools are considered safe.
