DEADLY INFECTIONS AND TOXINS FROM WATER OUTDOORS

The outbreak of “brain-eating” amoeba infections or PAM (primary amoebic meningoencephalitis) in Kozhikode district and the adjacent Malappuram district, in Kerala, has drawn attention to the dangers of contaminated water.

- DR P.S.VENKATESH RAO

120 cases have been reported in Kerala so far, including 68 this year, with Naegleria fowleri as the causative agent in most cases, and a few cases due to Vermamoeba Vermicularis, and Acanthamoeba, other genera of the free-living amoebae. Most infections followed swimming in contaminated water bodies. The infection spreads to the brain through the roof of the nose, which is separated from the base of the skull by a thin, perforated bone called the cribriform plate. The death of a three-month-old infant, following amoebic encephalitis, was suspected to be due to contaminated holy water used for nasal rinsing. Ritual (Islamic) nasal rinsing, called “wudu”, is usually performed several times a day in preparation for prayer. Jal Neti is a traditional yogic nasal cleansing technique that uses a Neti pot filled with saline water to rinse the nasal passages, clear mucous, promote clear breathing, and alleviate sinus issues, allergies, and congestion.

INFECTIONS FOLLOWING FLOODS: Floodwaters have caused havoc this monsoon. They overwhelm sanitation and storage systems, contaminating drinking water and food sources with pathogens from sewage, decaying matter, and dirt. Their dirty water leads to skin infections and the spread of waterborne diseases (Cholera, Typhoid, dysentery, Hepatitis A, Polio, Giardiasis, Cryptosporidiosis, and Amoebic dysentery). Wound Infections, gangrene, and Tetanus due to wounds exposed to contaminated water can prove fatal. The pools of stagnant water left behind provide mosquito breeding grounds and trigger outbreaks of Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Zika, Japanese Encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Yellow-fever. Respiratory infections and other communicable diseases spread among humans and animals in crowded emergency shelters. Rodent-borne diseases like Leptospirosis spread due to unsanitary conditions.