Kerala, NIE launch multi-district study to trace causes of amoebic brain fever

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health department, in collaboration with the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai, has initiated a multi-district field study to investigate the causes of amoebic meningoencephalitis (amoebic brain fever). The study, which began in Kozhikode, will extend to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Malappuram, Health Minister Veena George said on Tuesday. The move comes amid a surge in cases and ongoing challenges in pinpointing the underlying causes of the infection. The state has reported 144 confirmed cases of amoebic brain fever and 30 related deaths so far this year. The initiative follows a high-level technical workshop held by the department in August last year, which brought together experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Institute of Advanced Virology Kerala (IAV), Pondicherry AV Institute, Indian Institute of Science and Pollution Control Board. The minister emphasised that the state has adopted robust measures for the treatment and prevention of the disease. While amoebic brain fever has a global fatality rate of 99%, Kerala has reduced mortality to 24% through early detection and specialised care, she said. The department had earlier directed that patients diagnosed with meningitis also undergo testing for amoebic brain fever. For the first time in India, Kerala developed a specific protocol for amoebic meningoencephalitis after conducting a national-level workshop.