New case of ‘brain-eating amoeba’ reported in Malappuram

Kerala’s ongoing struggle with the deadly Naegleria fowleri infection has intensified with a fresh case reported in Malappuram district. A six-year-old child is currently under treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but highly fatal brain infection.

The case adds to growing public health concerns as Kerala continues to witness a rise in such infections. So far in 2025, the state has recorded 69 confirmed cases and 19 deaths — including a three-month-old infant and a 52-year-old woman in Kozhikode, both of whom died in August. A nine-year-old girl had also succumbed earlier the same month.

Health Minister Veena George told the State Assembly that worsening water pollution and rising ambient temperatures may be creating favourable conditions for the amoeba to thrive in waterbodies.

The organism typically enters the body through the nose when individuals bathe or swim in contaminated water. Once inside the brain, the infection progresses rapidly and is often fatal.