Experts recommend integrated scientific plan to combat Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in Kerala

A panel of experts has called for a comprehensive and coordinated scientific action plan to address the growing public health concern of amoebic meningoencephalitis (AME), which claimed several lives in Kerala. As many as 161 AME cases, including 37 deaths, have been reported in Kerala this year.

Amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare brain infection caused by free-living amoeba in contaminated waters.

The recommendation emerged from a high-level brainstorming session organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) at Science Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday.

A KSCSTE press release said that the session was chaired by Chief Minister’s Science Advisor M.C. Dathan, KSCSTE executive vice-president K.P. Sudheer, and member secretary A. Sabu, and was attended by experts from diverse disciplines, including clinical medicine, microbiology, public health, and environmental sciences.

“Although it has been established that AME primarily spreads through contaminated water sources, experts noted that the exact source of infection remains unidentified,” the KSCSTE said.

According to the KSCSTE, the forum emphasised the need for collaborative scientific research across departments to trace sources, enhance diagnostic precision, and strengthen preventive strategies.

The participants also underscored the importance of developing a standardised testing protocol for water bodies, promoting public scientific awareness, and implementing preventive and monitoring mechanisms at the community level.

Technical sessions during the meeting discussed the diagnostic challenges, epidemiological patterns, and environmental control measures required to curb the spread of AME, the KSCSTE said.

The KSCSTE said that the session proposed initiating collaborative research projects on amoebic infections in Kerala, developing improved surveillance systems, conducting environmental assessment, and utilising artificial intelligence and modern diagnostic technologies to enhance detection and response.

A detailed report containing the expert recommendations will be submitted to the State Health department for further action and policy formulation, it said.