By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features
Services)
Prevention is
considered the best way to avoid the rare ‘brain eating’ disease Naegleria
Fowleri, which has already claimed as many as 10 lives in a matter of just a
few months in Pakistan’s most populous city of Karachi.
Prevention is the
key in this case because the mortality rate of the disease is extremely high.
It has to be ensured that the water supply is chlorinated and the citizens are
aware about the precautionary measures.
Abstaining from all
water-related activities can prevent Naegleria infections, but for many people,
this simply is not an option. There are other things people can do.
It’s strongly
recommended to avoid swimming in still, warm, brackish water that has loose
bottom sediment. Jumping or diving into the same type of water is also to be
avoided. The brain-eating amoeba is often caught through swimming in infected
water.
Wearing a nose clip
or holding your nose if you jump or dive into relatively warm water lakes,
rivers, pools or other similar bodies of water is advised since Naegleria
Fowleri is transmitted by contaminated water entering the nose. It cannot be
passed from person to person, however.
People are warned
to avoid getting water too deep into their nostrils and make sure their water
supply is properly treated. Those with symptoms are urged to seek help
immediately without wasting any time.
The highest
incidence of this disease occurs in the hot summer months in children and young
adults, with males having the highest incidence of disease.
Naegleria Fowleri,
which has a fatality rate of more than 98%, infects people when contaminated
water enters the body through the nasal membranes and destroys brain tissues.
Symptoms are initially very mild, including a headache, stiff neck, fever and
stomachache. Death usually occurs five to seven days after infection.
Naegleria Fowleri
is an amoeba that lives in fresh water and soil. The organism goes through
three stages in its life cycle: cysts, flagellates, and trophozoites. It is the
trophozoite form that causes human disease.
Naegleria are
‘thermophilic’ meaning that they prefer warmer water. However, the cysts are
able to survive for months in very cold water. Thus, Naegleria infection is
found both in tropical and temperate climates.
Although there are
many species of Naegleria, including Naegleria gruberi, only Naegleria fowleri
causes human infection. There are other free-living amoebas that cause human
disease, including Acanthamoeba.
The organism was
officially discovered in Australia in 1965 by Dr M Fowler and Dr R Carter
although it’s believed to have occasionally infected humans for centuries.
Fortunately, humans are rarely infected with Naegleria fowleri.
The disease was first reported to have
surfaced in Karachi, the commercial hub of the country, in 2006 but this year's
outbreak has been deadlier making the citizens more concerned.
The awareness campaigns by the concerned
authorities can help immensely in combating the deadly disease. The NGOs as
well as the government sector should mobilize all their resources in spreading
the precautionary measures that could save precious lives.