13-year-old girl diagnosed with amoebic meningoencephalitis dies in state

KOZHIKODE: Another death of amoebic encephalitis has been reported in the state. A 13-year-old girl, who died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode was confirmed with the disease. Dakshina, daughter of Ragesh Babu and Dhanya of Thottada in Kannur was diagnosed with the disease. She died on June 12. The test results showed that the cause of death was a rare amoeba.

The girl suffering from vomiting and headache was admitted to a private hospital at Chala in Kannur. Her health deteriorated and was shifted to a private hospital in Kozhikode. The girl had a bath in the pool when she went from school for a study trip to Munnar. The primary conclusion is that this is the cause of the disease.

Normally, if an amoeba enters the body, symptoms of the disease appear within five days and the health condition deteriorates very quickly. However, this girl started showing symptoms three and a half months after bathing in the pool. The girl, who went to Munnar on January 28 started showing symptoms on May 8th.

Examination of the spinal fluid showed amoebic trophozoites and six drugs were given for amoebic meningoencephalitis. However, as it was different from previously reported cases of amoebic meningitis, tests were done to identify the amoebic species, said Abdullah Rauf, a consultant pediatric intensive care doctor at Baby Memorial Hospital who treated the girl. The test revealed the presence of a rare amoeba called vermamoeba vermiformis. The doctor said that as this case is rare in the world, expert study is needed to find out the factors including the incubation period of the pathogen.

A five-year-old girl had died earlier due to amoebic meningoencephalitis in Malappuram. Fadwa, daughter of Hasankutty and Phasna, a native of Malappuram, had died. She was a student of Kaliyattamukku AMLP School.

She had taken a bath with her relatives at the Kadalundi river near her house. The water here had stopped flowing in summer. A few days later she was taken to a pediatrician near her house after she was suffering from fever, headache and vomiting. On the 12th, after vomiting and dizziness twice, she was taken to private hospitals in Chelari and then in Kozhikode. As the disease became serious, she was admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College on the same day. Amoebic encephalitis was confirmed when the fluid from the spinal cord was examined.