PAM Cases in Kerala

Recently, three cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri, or ‘brain-eating amoeba,’ have been reported in Kerala. 

About Naegleria fowleri

• Naegleria fowleri is a free-living, single-celled organism found in warm, fresh water and soil.
• It infects individuals through the nose, especially during swimming, and travels to the brain, causing tissue destruction and swelling.
• It does not infect through drinking water and is non-communicable.

Symptoms and Fatality

• Initial symptoms: headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
• Progressive symptoms: stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and coma.
• According to the CDC, most with PAM die within 1 to 18 days of symptom onset, usually leading to coma and death in 5 days.

Treatment

• No effective treatment has been identified. 
• Current management involves a combination of drugs like amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine, and dexamethasone.

Factors Influencing PAM Cases

• Increased testing for acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).
• Potentially attributed to climate change and environmental pollution.
• A possibility of new amoeba categories found in dust and soil being the causal factor.