Alappuzha, July 7: A case of a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoebae living in contaminated waters was reported in the coastal district of Alappuzha in Kerala, a government release said here on Friday. A 15-year-old native of nearby Panavalli was infected with the disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, it said.

Additional information regarding the patient was not made available by the government. The disease was earlier reported in the Alappuzha municipality area in 2017, the health officials said. Brain-Eating Amoeba, Naegleria Fowleri, Kills Korean Man, Know Everything About the Rare Infection Linked to Water.

Doctors said the human brain gets infected when the free-living, non-parasitic amoebae bacteria enter the body through the nose. Considering the severe nature of the disease, the district health officials have advised people to avoid taking bath in contaminated water. Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Korean National; First Infection From Naegleria fowleri Reported in South Korea.

The main symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, vomiting, and seizures.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)