Why the ‘brain-eating amoeba’ continues to haunt Kerala and its waters

Sumit Jha

Sep 12, 2025

Health

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Six people died in Kerala in just one month from a rare but deadly brain infection: amoebic meningoencephalitis.

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At present, 10 patients are undergoing treatment – seven at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital and three children at the Institute of Maternal and Child Health. 

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The illness begins with what appears to be a routine fever and headache but progresses rapidly. By the time doctors recognise what is happening, it is often too late.

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The cause is Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism more widely known as the “brain-eating amoeba.” 

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This free-living amoeba thrives in warm freshwater – lakes, ponds, rivers, and even contaminated soil.

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The pathway of infection is alarmingly simple. Contaminated water enters through the nose, the amoeba travels upward to the brain, and death usually follows.

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The current outbreak marks something new for Kerala: clusters of cases in a disease long known for its rarity. So why is this happening now? Experts point to climate change.