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KARACHI: Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the ?brain-eating? amoeba, has claimed its first life in Karachi this year.
Twenty-three-year-old Aslam, S/O Muhammad Hassan, a resident of Tando AllahYar, who had a history of swimming in a pond, died at the hospital while fighting the fatal disease.
Published Date: 2017-07-02 22:24:07 Subject: PRO/SOAS> Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - Pakistan (02): (Sindh) fatal Archive Number: 20170702.5145771 AMEBIC MENINGOENCEPHALITIS, PRIMARY - PAKISTAN (02): (SINDH) FATAL
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A ProMED-mail post http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org
The brain-eating amoeba, _Naegleria fowleri_, claimed this year's [2017] 1st life in the city [Karachi] on the 1st day of Eidul Fitr, health officials confirmed on [Fri 30 Jun 2017].
"55-year-old ST died at a private hospital in Karachi due to infection caused by the microorganism," said Dr Zafar Mehdi, focal person for the Sindh Health Department's _Naegleria fowleri_ Monitoring Cell.
This was the 1st death caused by the brain-eating amoeba in the metropolis this year [2017], and the 2nd death in Sindh after a 23-year old man from Tando Allah Yar was brought to a private hospital to Karachi where he died of the infection in April this year [2017].
The official said ST was a resident of Gulberg, District Central and was admitted to Patel Hospital on [23 Jun 2017], where he died 3 days later on [26 Jun 2017], the 1st day of Eidul Fitr.
Dr Mehdi added that samples of the cerebrospinal fluid taken from the deceased's body were sent to the Aga Khan University Hospital where it was confirmed that he had died due to the presence of the microorganism.
However, as per the focal person's claims, no trace of chlorine was found in the water being supplied to Gulberg area by the health department's teams. The water samples collected from the mosque the deceased frequented was also found to not have been chlorinated, he added.
Dubbed the 'brain-eating bug', _Naegleria fowleri_ claimed 14 lives each in Karachi in 2014 and 2015. However, there was a drastic reduction in _N. fowleri_ deaths in 2016, as only 2 people fell victim to the microorganism over the course of last year [2016].
Health authorities ran several awareness campaigns to sensitize the masses regarding the freshwater amoeba and its mode of transmission to the human body.
The amoeba, found in freshwater lakes, rivers and canals goes into hibernation in temperatures lower than 25 C [77 F], but start multiplying as soon as the water gets warm and reaches 35 C [95 F] and above.
Due to an abundance of organic matter in water, the amoeba multiplies at a sharp rate.
"At a time when the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) is not chlorinating water being supplied to citizens, the best prevention is to add a little amount of common bleach in the underground or overhead water tanks of your house to kill the bacteria and other microorganisms including _Naegleria fowleri_," Dr Mehdi suggested.
Public health experts at various health centers in Karachi said the only option available for people in Karachi is to take precautionary measures such as using sodium hypochlorite or common bleach to disinfect water.
Avoiding swimming in canals, lakes and ponds of freshwater was also recommended as a precaution, as the microorganism flourishes in the summer season.
[Adequate chlorination is the key to prevent primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In absence of chlorination or adequate chlorination of the supply water in the city, the residents need to chlorinate their water to prevent PAM. However, appropriate authorities need to take necessary measures to ensure chlorination of supply water in a city where deaths have ensued in previous years.
Third death linked to ?brain-eating? amoeba confirmed in city this year
Hasan MansoorJul 05, 2017
KARACHI: The Sindh health ministry on Tuesday confirmed that a young teacher had died of Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as ?brain-eating? amoeba, at a hospital in the city.
He was the second victim of the disease this week and third overall this year in the province. Two of the three victims in the province died in Karachi.
Karachi: Another ?brain-eating amoeba? death reported, 6th of year
by NEWS DESK
October 28, 2017 Headlines, Indian subcontinent No Comments 167 views
Health officials have reported an additional fatality due the ?brain-eating amoeba?, Naegleria fowleri in a male resident from North Karachi, according to a local news source. This brings the deaths due to the parasite to six for the year.
The report notes:
Millions of Karachi residents remain most at risk from the bug since the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has been supplying unchlorinated water in several localities of the city, according to experts.
Naegleria fowleri (commonly referred to as the ?brain-eating amoeba?), is a microscopic amoeba which is a single-celled living organism. It can cause a rare and devastating infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The amoeba is commonly found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers, ponds and canals.
... http://outbreaknewstoday.com/karachi-another-brain-eating-amoeba-death-reported-6th-year-75978/
