Daily Times

KARACHI: ‘Brain-eating amoeba’ Naegleria fowleri has claimed fourth victim of the year in Sindh, health officials have informed .

This is third death of brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri in provincial capital Karachi during this year and within two months time.

According to Dr Syed Zafar Mehdi, focal person of the provincial government’s naegleria programme, the victim was identified as 48-year-old Ameena Saleem, who was a resident of Karachi’s Karimabad area. She succumbed to the lethal amoeba on July 31 while admitted at a private hospital in the city on July 29.

Health experts say Naegleria usually enters the brain and attacks the nervous system when infected water is ingested through the nasal cavity while bathing, swimming or performing ablution.

The deadly amoeba survives on bacteria in warm waters and can only be decimated through proper chlorination or boiling of water.

Naegleria fowleri, which is found in freshwater, has claimed five lives during 2016 in Sindh whereas it claimed 14 lives in 2015 in province, most of whom were residents of Karachi.

While brain-eating death cases are on the rise, water samples collected by health officials from different parts of Karachi were not properly chlorinated, increasing chances of fatal diseases caused by Naegleria floweri.

According to health experts, peak season of naegleria has started which will continue till end of August.

Published in Daily Times, August 2^nd , 2017.