Islamabad, Mar 11, 2025: Karachi has recorded its first fatality of the year due to Naegleria fowleri, as a 36-year-old woman tragically lost her life to the infection last month, health authorities confirmed on Monday.
Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator for the Sindh Health Minister, stated that the deceased was a resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal and passed away at a private medical facility on February 23.
She showed symptoms on February 18 and admitted herself to the hospital the following day.
Officials identified the presence of Naegleria fowleri on February 24, just a day after she passed away.
Health officials reported that the woman had not participated in any recreational water activities.
Her only known contact with water was through daily ablution (wuzu) at home, which she performed five times a day. “This is the first reported fatality due to Naegleria fowleri in 2025,” Yousuf confirmed.
Naegleria fowleri, often termed the “brain-eating amoeba,” causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), an extremely rare but almost always fatal infection with a staggering 98% mortality rate.
This free-living amoeba commonly inhabits warm freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and soil.
Among its various species, only Naegleria fowleri causes human infections.
The infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nasal passages, usually while swimming, diving, or submerging one’s head in freshwater.
Once inside, the amoeba migrates to the brain, where it destroys brain tissue, leading to the onset of PAM.
Symptoms generally emerge within five days of exposure, initially presenting as headaches, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
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As the infection advances, it can cause neck stiffness, disorientation, seizures, hallucinations, and eventually coma. In most cases, death occurs within five days of symptom onset.
Naegleria fowleri cannot thrive in cool, clean, and chlorinated water, which significantly minimizes the risk in well-maintained water sources.
Authorities emphasize the importance of proper chlorination and the use of sterilized water for nasal cleansing to reduce the likelihood of infection.
With this alarming case, health officials urge the public to take preventive measures, particularly ensuring the use of chlorinated water for daily hygiene practices.
Raising awareness and maintaining strict water sanitation standards are crucial to preventing further infections in the region.
