Amoeba found in well water at house of girl who died due to amoebic encephalitis in Kerala

Health officials said on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) that amoeba was found in the well water at the residence of a nine-year-old girl who died last week due to amoebic encephalitis, a rare brain infection, in Kozhikode district of Kerala.

A senior health official said that following the detection of the amoeba, a fever survey was carried out among all those who used the water from the well.

Following the survey, the deceased girl's brother is presently under observation as he had a fever.

However, he has not shown any other symptoms associated with the brain infection, caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters, the official said.

The girl, a resident of Thamarassery, was admitted to a hospital due to fever on August 13, but as her condition worsened quickly, she was shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on August 14 where she died the same day.

A test carried out at the microbiology lab of the medical college hospital revealed on August 15 night that the cause of her death was amoebic encephalitis.

It was probably the fourth case of the rare brain infection reported from Kozhikode district this year, according to health officials.

Caused by free-living amoeba, amoebic encephalitis is a deadly infection that is typically contracted from freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.