.jpg%3Ftrim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
Nine-year-old dies from rare infection caused by ‘brain-eating amoeba'
The child from Thamarassery in Kerala 's Kozhikode was admitted to a local hospital on 13 August with fever.
Her condition deteriorated rapidly and she was moved to the Kozhikode Government Medical College, where she died.
Tests done at the hospital later confirmed that she had contracted primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
She was one of three people in the district afflicted by the disease, local health officials said, adding that a three-month-old and another person were currently battling the infection.
'We are clueless about how the three-month-old baby got infected by the rare disease,' a health official told The Indian Express.
The disease is caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba '. A free-living microorganism found in warm freshwater and soil, it can enter the body through contaminated water or soil.
It travels to the brain and destroys tissue. Symptoms appear within days and lead quickly to seizures, coma and death.
Health officials are attempting to trace the specific water source linked to the Thamarassery case. 'Once the water body is identified, we will look for those who may have bathed in it recently,' an official told the PTI news agency.
Globally, amoebic meningoencephalitis shows a fatality rate of almost 97 per cent. India reported its first case in 1971, but infections remained rare until Kerala witnessed a sharp rise in recent years. The coastal state recorded only eight cases from 2016 to 2022, but confirmed 36 infections and nine deaths in 2023.
Every known case in India until last year had been fatal. In July 2024, a 14-year-old boy from Kozhikode became the first patient in the South Asian country to survive the infection, joining just 10 other known survivors worldwide.
Public health experts attribute the spike in Kerala to greater testing for acute encephalitis syndrome – a group of conditions that includes amoebic meningoencephalitis – as well as environmental pollution and climate change.
Kerala's government has introduced special treatment protocols and operating procedures for suspected cases.
Doctors say awareness and prevention remain the most effective defences against the illness. They advise against going into stagnant warm freshwater, particularly after heavy rainfall, and recommend using clean, filtered water for nasal irrigation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
11 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Raging bulls: why Maga is pushing cow products on to America
US health secretary Robert F Kennedy claims that beef tallow is a healthier alternative to seed oils (even though the American Heart Association disagrees). Raw milk advocates are currently criticizing Kennedy, who has supported them in the past, to ease restrictions on the sale of their preferred dairy product nationwide. Meanwhile, cows have also infiltrated the ever trendy skincare market, with beef tallow present in moisturizers, lip balm, deodorant and personal lubricant. Though not every beef tallow evangelist or raw milk aficionado might consider themselves Republican, cow's connection to RFK's 'health' crusade is unavoidable. It appears that cows have won the position of Maga's favorite animal. It's not exactly a secret that Trump loves cows. Last year, when a child called into Fox & Friends to ask what his favorite farm animal was. 'I'll tell you what I love, I love cows, but if we go with Kamala, you won't have any cows anymore,' he said, adding: 'I don't want to ruin this kid's day.' He made the bizarre talking point a part of his campaign stump speeches, telling crowds in North Carolina and Nevada that 'they want to do things like no more cows.' Now that he's in office, cows remain top of mind – or, at least, their byproducts do. 'Woo-woo has become moo-moo,' the Atlantic's Yasmin Tayag wrote this week, in an essay about Americans going 'all-in' on 'cow-based wellness'. 'When it comes to animal products, it seems [that Maga] promotes cows the most,' said Mark Kern, a professor of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University. 'They don't seem to say the same things for chicken or turkey.' Pigs could be a close runner-up, as lard, another animal fat, was also used regularly in cooking until the early 20th century – a bygone era Maga loves to romanticize. It doesn't hurt that cow mania follows the trend of tradwives taking up social media space, extolling the virtues of cooking, cleaning, child-rearing and homesteading. If Trump describes cities such as DC, Los Angeles and New York as fiery bastions of anarchy, then cows represent something entirely different: images of ruddy-cheeked children toting milk pails or Sydney Sweeney in a prairie dress. Of course, none of this is the fault of cows. 'Beef can be a very healthful food when eaten in moderation,' Kern said. 'I see value in it, but that doesn't mean we should eat it at the expense of seed oils.' The Maha (Make America Healthy Again) crowd's obsession with beef tallow is based on a 'misperception' that it is less refined than seed oils, Kern explained. 'You can't just get beef tallow from a cow,' he said. 'You have to render that fat, which is a refining process, too.' Though there are no known benefits of consuming beef tallow, some chain restaurants such as Steak 'n Shake and Sweetgreen have switched to using it in the wake of RFK's endorsement. Bart Hutchins is the chef of Butterworth's, a nouveau French restaurant in DC popular with the Maga cohort. Last month, Hutchins told Axios that his kitchen goes through 500 beef bones a week serving a roasted marrow that is Steve Bannon's 'go-to' order. (Marco Rubio and the Breitbart staff apparently love it, too.) Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Bone marrow contains collagen, a protein that's long been a beauty buzzword associated with reported cosmetic benefits such as skin, hair and nail health. It is a common ingredient in pills and powders that promise youthful skin, though dermatologists say this has not been definitively proven by any studies. That does not stop rich people from loving it. 'If you describe something 'with collagen', it's poised to move for a certain economic class,' Hutchins said. Candice Ray, a 24-year-old dietician student who splits her time between Canada and Vermont, liked beef tallow before it was taken on as a Maha status symbol. She has slathered it on her face every night for two years, swearing it transformed her rough, bumpy complexion into a clear, clean glow. 'It's done wonders for me,' Ray said. 'My skin just looks more healthy.' To be fair, Ray – an influencer who shares 'nontoxic living' tips to her following of nearly 350,000 on Instagram – adheres to other medically dubious practices such as not washing her face. You might assume that if you cover your face in beef tallow and go to bed without washing it off, you will end up reeking of barnyard musk. Ray disagrees. 'I find it smells just slightly earthy,' she says. Ray is not exactly thrilled that Maga has taken up the cause of advancing beef tallow. 'My choice to use it is not political whatsoever,' she said. 'But when I tell people that I use beef tallow, they kind of look at me like, 'Oh, you're a natural-living girly.''
The Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Sun
Bride left unable to smile in wedding photos after planning stress PARALYSED her face the night before
A BRIDE became so stressed planning her big day that her face became paralysed the night before, leaving her unable to smile in photos. Kelly Stech had spent a year organising her dream wedding to her now-husband Benjamin Stech after becoming engaged in July 2022. 9 9 9 The couple, who began dating in early 2020 after matching on Tinder, forked out $50,000 (£37,000) on their dream day on 6 October 2023. However, the week before the ceremony, Kelly began feeling under the weather, complaining of ear ache and pain when swallowing. The 30-year-old woke up with painful, swollen blisters across her right ear, which urgent care doctors put down to the skin infection cellulitis. Over the next few days, Kelly's symptoms drastically worsened. The hairdresser, who lives in Illinois, Chicago, US, said: "Exactly a week before the wedding, I was starting to feel under the weather. The following day, at work, I felt like I had an ear infection coming on. "It hurt to swallow and I felt a popping sensation in my ear. "I went to urgent care and they said it looked completely fine and there was no infection brewing. "I woke up that Monday and my ear was completely swollen and blistered. I went back to urgent care and they put me on a steroid and antibiotic for cellulitis. "I woke up the next day and the pain was worse. I was vomiting non-stop, I couldn't keep anything down. "My whole body felt like it had been hit by a truck. Then I was laying on the couch later on and making silly faces on Snapchat and couldn't feel the right side of my face moving. "[The next day] when I went to smile, the right side of my face just wouldn't move like the left side would. "My ear had blisters on them. I was full blown panicking and crying. The pressure on my ear felt like it was going to explode. "I went back to urgent care and they transferred me to a hospital. We were supposed to be going to our rehearsal dinner that night." Doctors initially said she'd had an allergic reaction to an IV antibiotic that had caused Bell's palsy - a temporary weakness of one side of the face that can also be caused by a virus. I felt like it was the happiest day of my life but I didn't want people to think I looked miserable... I was in so much pain and so tired Kelly Devastated, Kelly refused to cancel her nuptials. She went ahead with the wedding the next day, slashing her ceremony guest list from 200 to 50 members of her close friends and family. Kelly said: "I barely slept the whole night. There was barely any movement in my mouth. "I could smile without teeth but if I tried to smile with teeth, it was definitely crooked. 9 9 "I wanted to go ahead with the wedding either way. My makeup artist was so good at hiding my paralysis. "During the ceremony, me and the bridesmaids switched sides so my right-side paralysis wasn't facing my guests. "The middle of the day at the venue, my right eyelid just stopped working. "I couldn't go around taking photos anymore, my eyelid was paralysed, I couldn't blink. "I was holding a handkerchief up to my eye to keep it shut. Everybody kept saying 'sorry you're going through this'. "I felt like it was the happiest day of my life but I didn't want people to think I looked miserable because I couldn't smile on my wedding day. "I couldn't drink any alcohol. I was in so much pain and so tired." 'Stress if often a trigger' Days after tying the knot, Kelly returned to hospital where doctors diagnosed her with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a complication of shingles. It's the name given to symptoms of a shingles infection affecting the facial nerve. Symptoms include blisters around the ear, scalp, hair line and inside the mouth, weakness on the affected side of the face, difficulty closing or blinking the eye and hearing loss. You don't want to end up paralysed on your wedding day. Don't stress about your shoes or the weather. Kelly In June 2022, singer-songwriter Justin Bieber announced that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome after experiencing paralysis down the right side of his face. Kelly believes the disorder was brought on due to the strain of wedding planning over the last year. Facial Palsy UK says ' stress is often a trigger'. 9 9 9 The charity says: 'Many studies have shown that stress can weaken the immune system, and that people under significant stress are more likely to suffer from infections than those who are not. 'For this reason, it is believed that stress can be linked to outbreaks of shingles, and thus RHS could result.' Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After recovering, the virus continues to live in the nerves that it has infected by the virus. It is harmless unless it is reactivated. Kelly has since regained all the movement in her face but is now urging brides to try and avoid wedding day stress. Kelly, who is currently eight months pregnant, said: "It's hard to believe this happened. My wedding stress definitely caused this. "The financial stress of it definitely takes a toll. "We got to experience first-hand early on what 'in sickness and health' actually meant. "I tell friends stressed about wedding planning, be grateful you're in this position and don't let it stress you out, you don't want to end up paralysed on your wedding day. "Don't stress about your shoes or the weather." What is Ramsay Hunt syndrome? Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a complication of shingles. It is the name given to describe the symptoms of a shingles infection affecting the facial nerve. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella zoster virus, or VZV). As a result of this infection, the facial nerve becomes inflamed and irritated. If you develop RHS, you will have had chickenpox as a child but once the spots heal and you recover the virus continues to live in the nerves that it has infected by the virus. It is harmless unless it is reactivated and should this happen new symptoms will appear. This cluster of symptoms is called RHS. The virus can be reactivated when the immune system becomes depressed and is less able to fight infection. Stress is often a trigger. Many studies have shown that stress can weaken the immune system, and that people under significant stress are more likely to suffer from infections than those who are not. For this reason, it is believed that stress can be linked to outbreaks of shingles, and thus RHS could result. If antiviral treatment is given within 72 hours of developing symptoms approximately 70 per cent of people will experience a virtually full recovery. If antiviral medication is not given within this time frame then the likelihood of making a full recovery reduces to 50 per cent. SYMPTOMS A rash or blisters in or around the ear, scalp or hair line. The blisters may also appear inside the mouth. The rash/blisters are often painful with a generalised sensation of burning over the affected area. Weakness on the affected side of your face which causes the facial muscles to droop. Difficulty closing the eye or blinking on the affected side. Altered taste on the affected half of the tongue. Loss of facial expression on the affected side. Difficulty eating, drinking and speaking as a result of weakness in the lip and cheek on the affected side. Ear, face or head pain. Hearing loss on the affected side Dizziness/vertigo Tinnitis (ringing in the ear) on the affected side. In some cases the throat may also be affected directly or indirectly via the vagus nerve Source: Facial Palsy UK
The Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Sun
The 3 holiday hotspots with highest risk of deadly ‘suitcase viruses' that attack organs and cause ‘debilitating' pain
WITH 'suitcase viruses' making a comeback in recent years, experts are urging Brits travelling abroad to take extra precautions. Holidaymakers travelling to three popular European destinations could be at risk of two deadly viruses. 2 Mosquitoes carrying viruses can travel in suitcases, often unnoticed, and pose a risk of introducing diseases to new areas. Two mosquito-borne viruses most prevalent at the moment, particularly for travellers returning to the UK, are dengue fever and chikungunya. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently warned of a "worrying increase in chikunyunga cases" among travellers returning to the UK. Chikungunya virus is primarily spread to humans through the bite of infected aedes mosquitoes. Described as a "nasty disease", it causes severe joint and muscle pain, headaches, sensitivity to light and skin rashes. While Chikungunya is generally not considered fatal, it can be in very rare cases, particularly among vulnerable populations like the very young, elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions. Most recently, there's been an outbreak in China, with 7,000 cases reported, mostly across the city of Foshan, in the southern province of Guangdong, sparking global fears. In 2024, 904 dengue cases were recorded in returning travellers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - up from 631 in 2023 - with all cases linked to travel abroad. Like chikungunya, dengue fever is spread through the bite of infected aedes mosquitoes. In its mild form, dengue fever causes fever and a rash and lasts about a week. What is Chikungunya Severe dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, and death. About one out of 20 people with dengue will develop severe dengue within a few hours after symptoms start. To stop the number of cases of chikunyunga and dengue fever increasing, UK health officials recommend keeping up-to-date on health risks in different countries. And a new report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has revealed the holiday hotspots in Europe with the highest number cases of chikunyunga and dengue fever currently. Chikunyunga Since the beginning of 2025, and as of August 13, two countries in Europe have reported cases of chikungunya - France and Italy. So far, France has reported 111 cases of locally-acquired chikungunya in 22 different clusters. And compared to the previous week, the number of cases has increased by 48 cases. Areas in France where cases have been reported include Charente (five cases in one cluster), Côte-d'Or (one case in one cluster), and Haute-Corse (two cases in one cluster). Two new cases were reported in two new clusters in Alpes-Maritime and a one new case in a new cluster in Isère. The largest clusters are located in Vitrolles, with an increase of 20 cases in the last week, Grosseto-Prugna, Salon-de-Provence, Grans, and Lambesc, Castries, Poulx and Caveirac. In the last week, Italy has reported five new cases in three new clusters - three cases in Modena and two cases in Verona province. Dengue fever Since the beginning of this year up until now, dengue fever has also been reported in France and Italy - 11 cases in France, and four in Italy. But Portugal has also reported two. The are currently six clusters reported in France, located in Aubagne, and Bouches-du-Rhône. In the last week, a new case has been reported in Vicenza province in Italy. And the cases in Portugal, reported in January, were in Madeira, and probably transmitted in 2024, says the ECDC. Is it safe to travel to these countries? 2 It's considered safe to travel to Europe, including areas with reported chikungunya and dengue fever cases. Most reported cases of the viruses in Europe are imported, meaning they are contracted by travellers returning from affected areas outside of Europe. However, local transmission is increasing due to the spread of mosquitoes like the aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito). So when travelling abroad it's crucial to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Follow the tips below... HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST CHIKUNYUNGA AND DENGUE FEVER PREVENT MOSQUITO BITES Use insect repellent: Apply a repellent containing DEET, IR3535, or picaridin to exposed skin, following product label instructions. Wear protective clothing: Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes, especially during peak mosquito activity times (early morning and early evening). Use mosquito nets: Sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, especially in areas with poor window and door screening. SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE Consult a doctor or travel clinic: Before travelling to areas with known outbreaks, consult with a doctor or travel clinic for specific advice and potential vaccinations or preventative medications. Consider vaccination: If travelling to high-risk areas, inquire about available vaccines for dengue or chikungunya. OTHER IMPORTANT MEASURES Stay informed: Keep up-to-date on local mosquito-borne disease outbreaks and recommendations. Be aware of symptoms: Familiarise yourself with the symptoms of chikungunya and dengue, including fever, joint pain, headache, and rash. Seek medical care: If you develop symptoms, seek prompt medical attention. Pregnant women: Pregnant women should take extra precautions to avoid mosquito bites, as infection can be harmful to the fetus.
