19-year-old dies from brain-eating amoeba in Karachi

A 19-year-old man in Karachi succumbed to a fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba” on Monday, bringing the city’s death toll from this rare infection to five in 2024, according to health officials.

The young man first experienced symptoms on August 18 and was admitted to the hospital on August 21. The presence of the amoeba was confirmed on August 25.

Three of the five deaths in Karachi this year occurred in July, according to Meeran Yousuf, a spokesperson for the health minister in Sindh province.

Yousuf noted that the patient had not engaged in any water-related activities, with his only exposure being the regular use of water for ablution at home and occasionally at a nearby mosque.

In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed an alarming rise in cases of Naegleria fowleri, with over 100 deaths reported since the first case in 2008.

Naegleria fowleri, a deadly microorganism found in freshwater environments such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and inadequately maintained swimming pools, enters the human body through the nose.

Once inside, it travels to the brain, leading to a severe and often fatal infection known as naegleriasis. Symptoms include intense headaches, altered taste, high fever, sensitivity to light, nausea, and vomiting. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial for any chance of survival.

In a previous case this year, a 22-year-old garment factory worker died at Jinnah Hospital after visiting a local swimming pool with friends. He developed a fever, was hospitalised and placed on a ventilator but did not survive.

Another patient, treated at Aga Khan Hospital, succumbed after a 10-day battle with high-grade fever. His family believed he contracted the infection while performing ablution at a nearby mosque.

A 2021 study by the Sindh health department revealed that 95% of water samples in Karachi were unsafe for human consumption, a factor experts believe contributes to the spread of the deadly amoeba in the region.