Explained: This dangerous creature ate the girl’s brain, it is blessed with immortality, bathing in a pond or swimming pool may prove costly.

New Delhi: A small creature can eat a human brain. This small creature of the world, which is not visible to the eyes, is so dangerous that even the medical world has not been able to overcome it. It is considered immortal, that is, it does not die even by killing. It thrives in water in extremely hot environments. In such a situation, bathing in a dirty pond or water park in summer can prove costly for someone. Recently, a 5-year-old girl in Kerala died after bathing in a dirty pond. It is being told that the girl had a rare infection ‘Naegleria Fowleri’. This infection is caused by brain eating amoeba. As the heat increases, this amoeba flourishes.

What is this brain eating amoeba, which is so dangerous?

According to experts, Naegleria fowleri infection is called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). This infection is caused by a free living amoeba named Naegleria fowleri. Amoeba has a single cell. For this reason it keeps changing its shape and it never dies. It was first discovered in Australia in the 1960s. But his/her family prospered in America.

Dangerous amoeba enters the body through the nose

According to Ravikant Chaturvedi, a doctor of internal medicine in Ranchi, this deadly amoeba is found all over the world. It lives in warm fresh water. This amoeba enters the body through the nose while swimming or bathing. This amoeba grows rapidly at high temperature i.e. 46 degrees centigrade and expands its family.

This amoeba grows in swimming pools and water parks

This dangerous amoeba grows more rapidly in places with warm fresh water like lakes, rivers, ponds, swimming pools, splash pads, surf parks, water parks. It especially likes to raise its family in those places with water, where cleanliness is not taken care of nor is the water treated with chlorine or bleaching powder.

How does this amoeba reach the brain?

While bathing or swimming in public places, Naegleria fowleri amoeba enters the body through the nose and from there it goes to the brain. As soon as this amoeba enters the brain, it starts destroying brain cells and tissues. Due to this, swelling in the brain increases.

This infection does not occur by drinking contaminated water

According to the doctor, this infection is not contagious. Even if this amoeba is present in drinking water, it does not spread through it. Even if someone accidentally drinks contaminated water, he/she will not get this infection. It travels only through the nerve cells going to the brain through the nose.

What are the symptoms by which the patient can be identified?

Initial symptoms include problems like headache, fever, cold and vomiting. Later, the patient develops stiffness in the neck, confusion and goes into coma. According to a study by America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a patient suffering from this infection dies within 1 to 18 days. After going into coma, a patient can remain alive for a maximum of 5 days.

No cure has been found yet

Dr. Chaturvedi says that this disease is so fatal that no cure has been found for it yet. At present, doctors give many types of medicines, but it is not necessary that they have any effect on the patient. So far 20 cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis have been reported in India. The first case of this disease was reported in Kerala in 2016.

Such amoeba can be avoided in this way

Wearing a nose clip can prevent contaminated water from entering the nose, especially while swimming in a pond or water park or swimming pool during hot weather. Keeping the head above water can also prevent contaminated water from entering the nose. One should also avoid digging or stirring up sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers, as this is where amoebas are most likely to live. While pouring water into the sinuses or cleaning the nose, boiled and cooled water or distilled water should be used.