Brain-Eating Amoeba
A tragic incident has unfolded in Karachi where a 23-year-old man from Orangi Town lost his life after being infected by the rare and deadly brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. This marks the second reported fatality from the infection in Sindh this year, according to confirmation by the provincial health department.
The young man began experiencing symptoms, including high fever, on May 28, prompting his family to seek medical attention. Initially, he was admitted to a private hospital for treatment on May 30.
However, as his condition rapidly deteriorated and neurological symptoms intensified, he was transferred to a second private medical facility located in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on June 1.
Doctors at the second hospital placed the patient on a ventilator in a last attempt to stabilize his condition, but despite medical intervention, he succumbed to the infection shortly thereafter. The exact source of the amoeba exposure remains unclear, though health officials suspect it may have come from contaminated or improperly chlorinated water.
Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba,” is a microscopic organism that thrives in warm freshwater bodies such as lakes, rivers, and poorly maintained swimming pools.
It enters the human body through the nose and travels to the brain, causing a rare but almost always fatal condition called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). The disease progresses quickly and is notoriously difficult to treat once symptoms appear.
Public health experts in Sindh have repeatedly warned citizens about the risks of exposure, especially during the summer months when temperatures soar and water storage practices become more precarious. The latest fatality underscores the urgent need for rigorous water safety measures, including regular chlorination of water supplies and public awareness campaigns.
Authorities are expected to issue fresh guidelines for water usage, especially in residential areas, and may carry out inspections of swimming pools and water tanks across the city. Meanwhile, the health department is urging people to avoid nasal exposure to potentially contaminated water and to use boiled or filtered water for ablution and bathing purposes.
This incident has reignited calls for more robust public health infrastructure and better emergency response protocols to handle such life-threatening infections.
