Surge in deadly ‘brain-eating’ amoeba cases causes alarm in India’s Kerala state
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
An increase in cases of a rare, but fatal form of encephalitis has put the authorities in India’s southern state of Kerala on alert, forcing them to step up testing to address what they say is a serious public health challenge.
Kerala has reported around 69 cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) since the beginning of 2025, including 19 deaths, following contact with Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating” amoeba, the state health minister told the assembly on Sept 18.
Three of the deaths occurred in the past month, including that of a three-month-old infant.
“Unlike last year, we are not seeing clusters linked to a single water source. These are single, isolated cases, which have complicated our epidemiological investigations,” Health Minister Veena George was quoted as saying by NDTV news.
In 2024, the state reported 36 cases of PAM and nine deaths, NDTV said.
Amoebic encephalitis is a rare but lethal central nervous system infection caused by free-living amoebae found in freshwater lakes and rivers, according to a Kerala government document.
Of the two types of amoebic encephalitis, primary amoebic encephalitis has been found in Kerala and is caused by Naegleria fowleri, the document said.
The government has begun chlorinating wells, water tanks and public bathing areas – places where people are likely to bathe and come into contact with the amoeba, NDTV reported.
Globally, the survival rate of PAM is around 3 per cent but because of advanced testing and diagnosis, Kerala has achieved 24 per cent, Ms George was quoted as saying in local media.
“Climate change raising the water temperature and the heat driving more people to recreational water use is likely to increase encounters with this pathogen,” the government said in the 2024 document. REUTERS
