Brain Eating Worm: Brain eating worm can also be found in swimming pools and water parks which is killing children in Kerala

A rare brain infection caused by amoeba found in contaminated water i.e. amoebic encephalitis is spreading. However, till now all these three cases have been found in Kerala only. It is being claimed that the mortality rate from rare brain infection caused by amoeba is 95-100 percent.

This amoeba is found in contaminated water and by bathing in it, it reaches the brain through the nose. After tests conducted in a laboratory in Puducherry, it was found that a 12-year-old boy from Ramanattukara in Malappuram is infected with amoebic meningoencephalitis. This is the third such case in Malabar district in one and a half months. Earlier, two children from Malappuram and Kannur have died due to this disease. After being infected with amoebic encephalitis infection, which is caused by free-living Naegleria fowleri amoeba and Veramoeba vermiformis. The mode of infection of the amoeba is through water especially ponds and in very few reported cases through canals, entering through the nose or anus while swimming, the amoeba infects the brain, hence called “brain eating amoeba”.

Where is brain eating amoeba found?

Naegleria likes very warm water. It can survive in water up to 46 degrees. These amoebas are found in hot places around the world.

These worms can also be found here

Warm lakes, ponds and rock pits
Mud pits
Warm, slow-flowing rivers, especially those with low water levels
Untreated swimming pools and spas
Untreated well water or untreated municipal water
Hot springs and other geothermal water sources
Thermally polluted water, such as runoff from power plants
Aquariums
Soil, including indoor dust
Water parks
This worm cannot live in salt water. It cannot survive in properly treated swimming pools or properly treated municipal water. You cannot get infected by drinking contaminated water either.

Amebic encephalitis infection

Headache
Fever
Stiff neck
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Altered mental status
Unconsciousness
Also hallucinations, drooping eyelids, blurred vision and loss of taste sensation may occur.

How long does it take for brain-eating amoeba symptoms to appear?

Symptoms take two to 15 days to appear after the N. fowleri amoeba enters the nose. Death usually occurs 3 to 7 days after symptoms appear. The average time to death from symptom onset is 5.3 days. Only a handful of patients worldwide have been reported to have survived the infection.