Kerala has started a ground-breaking research project in an important effort to fight amoebic meningoencephalitis, better known as amoebic brain fever. This is India’s first concerted effort to treat this serious illness. The Kerala Health Department held a technical session in Thiruvananthapuram to launch this program. Prominent organizations such as the Indian Institute of Science, the Pondicherry EV Institute, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Indian Association of Virology (IAV), and the Pollution Control Board participated in the event.
Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George opened the workshop, stressing that the state’s research program is unique in the world for its all-encompassing approach. The Minister emphasized that subsequent cases were discovered after the sickness was first identified in Thiruvananthapuram, and all of them are presently undergoing treatment.
The principal aim of the study endeavor is to comprehend the reasons behind the rising number of cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis in Kerala. In order to look into the root causes, the state plans to work with knowledgeable institutions like the Indian Institute of Science and the ICMR. In a statement, the Health Department commended Kerala for its proactive approaches, which have proven instrumental in the timely identification and management of this uncommon and deadly illness. With a 97% death rate, life-saving early intervention has proven essential.
Kerala recorded 19 occurrences of amoebic brain fever in 2024; five of the cases resulted in death. Kerala has shown a rise in the rate of recovery despite the severity; four patients have made a full recovery. Either by direct contact or indirect exposure, contaminated water sources have been connected to the disease.
A case-control study is a crucial component of the research, which aims to ascertain why the sickness only affected a subset of people who shared the same water supply. The National Institute of Epidemiology and the ICMR will collaborate on this investigation.
Furthermore, the Pollution Control Board and Kerala University’s Department of Environment Engineering have carried out an extensive investigation into the biological and non-biological elements fostering the development of the disease-causing amoeba. The results of this study will be utilized to evaluate the state of Kerala’s water bodies and create an action plan that takes a coordinated approach to disease prevention.
All things considered, Kerala’s thorough investigation and cooperative endeavors constitute a noteworthy advancement in the fight against amoebic meningoencephalitis, and they may serve as a model for comparable programs around the world.
SOURCE :
THE PRINT
