Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14: An 18-year-old youth undergoing treatment at Government Medical College Hospital here has tested positive for acanthamoeba, one of the free-living amoebae (FLA) known to cause the rare but often fatal disease, amoebic meningoencephalitis.

Health officials on Sunday confirmed that the youth is being treated with miltefosine and remains stable.

The patient first sought treatment at a private hospital in Kanjiramkulam on August 18 for fever, headache, and giddiness.

As his condition worsened, he was shifted first to Neyyatinkara and later to a private hospital in the city.

Initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) wet mount tests showed no trophozoites, but samples sent for PCR analysis in Coimbatore confirmed acanthamoeba infection.

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Preliminary investigation revealed that the youth, along with six friends, had gone swimming on August 16 in the pool at Akkulam Tourism Village, managed by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

The case report noted that he swam and dived without a nose clip, a possible route of infection. The six others have shown no symptoms so far.

Health authorities are also probing other possible water exposures. The district currently has nine active cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis.

Two deaths have already been reported in Thiruvananthapuram this year, both involving patients with comorbidities.

Last year, 20 cases were recorded in the district, with clustering confirmed in seven of them.

In response, DTPC has closed the pool for maintenance and thorough cleaning. Water samples have been collected and sent to the public health laboratory for PCR testing, with results expected within two days. Officials stressed that the pool will only reopen after clearance.

Past diagnostic records indicate that different free-living amoebae have been responsible for infections in Kerala.

Between 2019 and 2023, Naegleria fowleri was detected in four cases in Malappuram, Thrissur, and Alappuzha. In 2024, a mix of Naegleria fowleri, Vermamoeba vermicularis, and Acanthamoeba infections was confirmed in patients across Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kollam, Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Thrissur. Some Thiruvananthapuram cases were also linked to pipe water exposure.

Health officials have urged strict monitoring of recreational and household water sources, given the persistence of these pathogens in the environment.

(IANS/NS)

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