Sabarimala pilgrims alert: Karnataka issues urgent advisory over deadly 'brain-eating' amoeba

Sabarimala

The Karnataka government has issued an urgent health advisory for pilgrims travelling to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala after a recent rise in cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis (AME), a rare but often fatal brain infection.

The advisory was released by the Commissioner of the Health and Family Welfare Department and warns devotees about the danger posed by Naegleria fowleri, a highly toxic, free-living amoeba found in warm, fresh water.

As per the advisory, this organism grows mainly in stagnant or untreated water such as ponds, lakes, puddles, and even moist soil. The infection does not spread from one person to another, nor does it occur by drinking contaminated water. Instead, it enters the body only through the nose, travels to the brain, and causes severe swelling and infection. Because many pilgrims take part in rituals involving bathing or dipping in natural water bodies, authorities have asked them to take extra precautions.

As part of the safety measures, the government has instructed all pilgrims to use nose clips or tightly hold their noses shut while bathing in stagnant water or natural ponds during the Yatra. This is meant to prevent water from entering the nasal passage, which is the only known route for the amoeba to reach the brain.

The health department has also urged devotees to remain alert for early symptoms of AME, which usually appear within seven days of coming into contact with contaminated water. The warning signs include high fever, intense headache, vomiting, a stiff neck, and unusual changes in behaviour or mental clarity. Officials stressed that these symptoms should not be ignored under any circumstances.

Anyone showing such signs must immediately visit the nearest hospital for medical attention, the advisory said. Since AME progresses rapidly and has a very low survival rate, early detection and quick treatment are essential.

The government has requested all pilgrims to follow the guidelines strictly to ensure a safe Sabarimala pilgrimage season.