Brain-eating bug claims three lives in Sindh in a week

Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba, has claimed three lives in Sindh over the past week, an official of the provincial health department said on Saturday.

“At least three persons have died due to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis [PAM], caused by Naegleria fowleri, in Sindh since July 5. Two people were residents of Karachi, while one was from Hyderabad, who also died in Karachi during treatment.”

N. fowleri is a free-living amoeba found in freshwater bodies. Over the past decade it has caused around 100 deaths in the province, mostly in Karachi and a few in Hyderabad.

The official said that its growth in water multiplies with the increase in temperature. If chlorine is not added to the water supplied to the cities, N. fowleri can cause PAM in some individuals.

The first confirmed case of N. fowleri this year was reported by the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) on July 5, when a 39-year-old Korangi resident died at the health facility due to PAM, added the official.

He said that two more people, a young man from Karachi’s Malir area and another person from Hyderabad, also contracted N. fowleri and died during treatment at different health facilities in Karachi.

“A 22-year-old man from Malir probably contracted N. fowleri when he went swimming in a pool in Quaidabad on July 7. The next day he developed a fever, and on July 10 he was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he died on July 11.”

Similarly, a 35-year-old person in Hyderabad fell sick in early July, and was later taken to the Liaquat Medical College Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was brought to Karachi, where he was placed on life support at the AKUH after being diagnosed with PAM, but he died on July 11.

The father of the deceased from Hyderabad said his son used to offer prayers at a nearby mosque, where he performed ablution before Namaz.

He suspected that his son had contracted N. fowleri there because the mosque’s water tank had not been cleaned for ages.

Expressing concern over the three deaths within a week, health experts have urged the water utilities across the province to supply chlorinated water to people.

They stressed that the only prevention from water-borne diseases like PAM is adding chlorine to the water because it kills most microorganisms, including N. fowleri.

They said that ensuring proper chlorination of all water supplies, including those at residential, commercial and religious facilities, is crucial because regular monitoring and maintenance of chlorine levels can prevent the growth of N. fowleri.

Experts maintained that regular cleaning and disinfection of water storage tanks is essential, saying that unclean water tanks can become breeding grounds for N. fowleri, especially in warm temperatures.

They said people should avoid swimming in warm, untreated freshwater during high-temperature periods. Using nose clips or avoiding submerging the head in such waters can reduce the risk of infection, they added.

They also pointed out that public health campaigns to raise awareness about the risks of N. fowleri and the importance of water safety can help prevent infections.