- Unhygienic and stagnant water resources, along with high temperatures, could be contributing factors to the recent rise in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis cases in Kerala.
- The infection was first detected in Alappuzha municipality in 2016.
- There has been a global rise in such cases due to warming temperatures and stagnant, unhygienic water resources, as the amoeba thrives in warm water.
- While bacterial meningitis cases among children have decreased due to vaccination, the symptoms of the girl suggested the possibility of amoebic meningoencephalitis.
- Bacterial Meningitis vs. Amoebic Meningoencephalitis
| Aspect | Bacterial Meningitis | Amoebic Meningoencephalitis |
| Cause | Bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae) | Amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) |
| Transmission | Respiratory droplets, close contact | Contaminated water entering the nose |
| Symptoms | Fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, confusion | Severe headache, fever, nausea, confusion |
| Onset & Progression | Rapid, within hours to days | Rapid, often fatal within a week |
| Diagnosis | Lumbar puncture, blood cultures, imaging | CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) examination, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) |
| Treatment | Intravenous antibiotics, corticosteroids | Antifungal and antimicrobial drugs |
| Prevention | Vaccination, good hygiene | Avoid warm freshwater activities, use nose clips |
New Vaccines
- Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV): IPV has been introduced in UIP as part of the Global Polio end-game strategy, to mitigate the risk associated with tOPV to bOPV switch.
- Rotavirus vaccine (RVV): RVV has been introduced to reduce mortality and morbidity caused by Rotavirus diarrhoea.
- Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine: India is committed to the goal of measles elimination and rubella control and to achieve this goal MR vaccine was introduced.
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV): PCV has been launched to reduce Infant mortality and morbidity caused by pneumococcal pneumonia.
- Tetanus and adult diphtheria (Td) vaccine: TT vaccine has been replaced with Td vaccine in UIP to limit the waning immunity against diphtheria in older age groups. Td vaccine to be administered to adolescents at 10 and 16 years of age and to pregnant women.
(See Topic of Brain-Eating Amoeba in May Current Affair magazine)
Dig Deeper: Is Vaccine of Meningitis part of the Universal Immunisation Program of India? What is Mission Indradhanush?
