Mumbai, December 27: Amid the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases around the world, a man passed away from the infection of Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the "brain-eating amoeba" in South Korea on December 21. The deceased had returned from Thailand. The death marked South Korea's first case of the deadly disease, according to The Korea Times.

The patient started showing symptoms of meningitis on the evening of his arrival. The next day, he was transferred to an emergency room. The cause of his death was determined by genetic testing on three different infections that cause Naegleria fowleri. The man's body contained a gene that was 99.6% identical to one discovered in a meningitis patient who had been reported abroad. Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Korean National; First Infection From Naegleria fowleri Reported in South Korea.

What is Brain-Eating Amoeba?

Naegleria, a single-celled living organism that is microscopic in existence, is found all across freshwater systems, including lakes, rivers, and soil. However, not all species of amoeba have killer tendencies. It is Naegleria fowleri that infects humans. Naegleria fowleri the amoeba infiltrates people through the nose and travels up to the brain, hitting core tissues and damaging the nerves at times, according to the US-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Israel: 36-Year-Old Man Dies From Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba.

The contraction causes a devastating infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which is mostly fatal. The infections usually happen when temperatures are hot, which results in higher water temperatures and lower water levels.

Symptoms of Naegleria Fowleri?

PAM, which is characterised by severe frontal headache is a major symptom of infection. Meanwhile, other symptoms of the infection include Fever, Nausea, Vomiting, and a Stiff neck.

The condition, if it gets serious, could lead to seizures, altered mental status, hallucinations, and coma, in the worst case. According to the CDC, only 4 out of 154 people in the United States have survived infection from 1962 to 2021.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 27, 2022 02:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).