Intro: Kerala is witnessing a surge in infections caused by Naegleria Fowleri, commonly referred to as the ‘brain-eating amoeba’, that thrives in water. So far, there have been 69 confirmed cases and 19 deaths. Preetu Nair speaks with Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, convenor (research cell), Kerala state IMA, to understand more about the deadly condition Why are brain-eating amoeba ( amoebic meningoencephalitis ) cases on the rise in Kerala? There are hundreds of thousands of brain infection (encephalitis) cases every year in India, causing a large number of deaths and disability. Although predominantly bacterial and viral in origin, the exact organism remains unknown in about 70% of cases. Amoeba is a relatively uncommon cause of encephalitis and requires additional tests for diagnosi

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