A 14-year-old boy from Kozhikode has recovered from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and fatal infection with a mortality rate of 97%.
Health department sources claimed on July 22 (Monday) that it was rare in the country as very few people had survived the infection across the world. Afnan Jasim is a native of Thikkodi near Payyoli in the district. He had been undergoing treatment at Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH), Kozhikode, and was discharged on Monday. This comes two days after the State government issued a treatment protocol for the infection.
Abdul Rauf, consultant paediatric intensivist, BMH, told The Hindu that Jasim was admitted to the hospital on July 1. He had exhibited symptoms of the infection on June 30. “We could do the preliminary diagnosis within 24 hours of admitting him. That proved crucial in the treatment. A PCR test confirmed the presence of the amoeba later,” said Dr. Rauf. The hospital followed the treatment protocol of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.
Official sources said Health Minister Veena George had convened a meeting when the first case of PAM was reported in the State this year and issued guidelines for treatment. The staff at the primary health centre at Meladi, where Jasim was taken to initially on July 1, suspected the possibility of PAM. Jasim was shifted to BMH after he developed seizures. Later, the Health department arranged miltefosine, a broad spectrum anti-microbial drug, for the treatment, the sources added.
PAM is caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers. It can also survive in poorly maintained swimming pools in rare cases. As it can infect the brain and destroy the tissues, the one-celled organism is also called ‘brain-eating amoeba’.
Dr. Rauf claimed that only eight PCR test-confirmed patients had so far recovered from the disease across the world. Jasim’s was the first such case in the country. He was given medicines for eight days and only then did his PCR test turn negative for the amoeba. “Jasim had been under treatment for 21 days. He will have to take medicines for at least one more week,” said Dr. Rauf.
There have been five cases, including three deaths, of the infection in Kerala in recent months. One patient is now undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi. There are two other suspected patients at BMH. The State government had earlier made arrangements with the Institute of Advanced Virology Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, for speedy testing procedures.
