KARACHI: The Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba claimed the life of woman at private hospital of Karachi.
A 36 year old female, resident of Gulshan e Iqbal, District East Karachi passed away from Naegleria Fowleri at a private hospital in Karachi on February 23 2025.
The patient started experiencing symptoms on February 18 2025 and was admitted to the hospital on February 19.
The presence of Naegleria Fowleri was confirmed in the patient on February 24 2025 after the patient had passed away.
Upon investigation, it was noted that the patient had not participated in any water related activities. Her only exposure was regular use of water to perform ablution (wuzu) five times a day at home.
Naegleria fowleri is an ameba that naturally lives in the environment and thrives in heat.
It can be found in warm fresh water like lakes, rivers, and ponds, soil, including sediment at the bottom of lakes, rivers, and ponds, naturally hot (geothermal) water like hot springs or hot sources of drinking water, swimming pools, splash pads, surf parks, and other recreational venues that are poorly maintained or don't have enough chlorine
If Naegleria fowleri goes up the nose and to the brain, it can destroy brain tissue and cause a fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
PAM typically happens when people go swimming or diving in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, or hot springs.
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In 2024, Naegleria fowleri claimed five lives in Sindh province out of which four were reported in Karachi and one from Hyderabad.
