A 10-year-old boy from Kollam, India, has been diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), marking the first case of this rare and deadly infection in the area. The child was initially treated in a Kollam hospital for fever, headache, and vomiting and has been transferred to Thiruvananthapuram for further care. Health officials are investigating potential exposure to contaminated water sources near his home, and field inspections have begun.
This case adds to the over 20 reported instances of PAM in Kerala, with growing concerns about the resurgence of amoebic brain fever in the state. Despite the fatality rate of PAM being as high as 97%, the government’s response has faced criticism for negligence. While the Indian Council of Medical Research had been tasked with investigating the surge in cases following an outbreak in Thiruvananthapuram, little progress has been made…
