Nine-year-old boy diagnosed with Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in Kozhikode

Kozhikode: A fresh case of Amoebic Meningoencephalitis has been reported in Kozhikode district, with the infection confirmed in a nine-year-old boy from Kottur grama panchayat.

Health authorities said the child is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital and his condition remains stable.

Officials have yet to confirm the exact source of the infection. The boy reportedly developed symptoms such as fever and headache and initially sought treatment at a local clinic before being referred to the Medical College Hospital for specialised care.

According to Health Department sources, water samples collected from nearby water bodies are being tested to identify the possible source of infection.

The recent recurrence of Amoebic Meningoencephalitis cases in Kozhikode has raised concerns due to the disease’s high mortality rate and severe impact on the brain. In August last year, a Class IV student, Anaya Sanoop from Thamarassery, succumbed to the infection. The earlier outbreak had resulted in multiple fatalities and prompted the Health Department to implement preventive measures across the district.

Amoebic Meningoencephalitis is a rare but serious infection commonly associated with bathing or swimming in water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater bodies such as ponds, lakes and rivers. The infection occurs when contaminated water enters the body through the nose, allowing the amoeba to travel to the brain and destroy brain tissue.