Naegleria fowleri claims year’s first life in city

Dengue death also reported at a private hospital
as health experts fear outbreak of infectious diseases following monsoon showers

Karachi

Naegleriasis, a lethal infection caused by the ‘brain-eating’ amoeba Naegleria fowleri, on Friday reportedly claimed the first life in the city this year, while another person died of dengue hemorrhagic fever at a private hospital this week.

With the rise in mercury level and change in other environmental factors, the weather conditions have become favourable for the growth of pathogens and public health experts fear the outbreak of deadly infectious diseases, including naegleriasis, dengue, malaria and gastroenteritis.

On Friday, Sindh health department officials confirmed that 30-year-old Zahid Khan, son of Abdul Wahab, a resident of the Noor Muhammad Goth in Gadap Town, was taken to the Liaquat National Hospital in precarious condition. He, however, died at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during medical treatment.

As per details, Zahid Khan is the first victim of the brain-eating infection this year, which had claimed dozens of lives in previous years in Karachi and the rest of Sindh.

According to health experts, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is caused by the freshwater amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, which activates during warm weather and can prove fatal when it enters into the human brain through the nasal cavity.

Dubbed the brain-eating bug, Naegleria fowleri leaves little chances of survival of the sufferer, according to health experts.

Zafar Mehdi, an official of the Sindh health department, confirmed that Zahid Khan died of the brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. He added that poor chlorination of water was the main reason behind the presence of the lethal microorganisms in water being supplied to Karachiites.

Public health experts believe that Keenjhar Lake, which is the main water supply source to Karachi, is the biggest reservoir of the Naegleria fowleri and the only way to prevent citizens of Karachi was to add chlorine to the water before supplying it to them.

Sindh health department officials claimed that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) was not adding any chlorine to the water. They advised people to use chlorine tablets or bleaching powder to disinfect the water for their domestic usage, including making ablution.

They also advised to avoid swimming in the pools which were not chlorinated as Naegleria fowleri could enter into their brain through nasal cavity and could cause serious damage to their nervous system.

Dengue death

Health officials also reported the death of an elderly person from dengue fever in Karachi. The victim, 58-year-old Fareeduddin, son of Naeemuddin, a resident of the Shah Faisal Colony, had reportedly died at the Aga Khan Hospital on Tuesday, having been admitted to the hospital on June 20, according to health officials.

A spokesman for the Aga Khan Hospital confirmed that another man had died from dengue fever at their hospital. He added that the victim’s personal details could be sought from the Sindh health department.

However, the programme manager of the Sindh Dengue Control Programme, Dr Masood Solangi, was not aware of the second death from dengue virus in Karachi.

He said that only one person, hailing from Nawabshah, had died in the province on June 3 in Karachi. However, other Sindh health department officials said that dengue fever had claimed the second life in the month of June and added that more dengue deaths were possible after the recent rains, particularly due to the lax cleanliness measures adopted by municipal authorities in Karachi and the rest of Sindh.