KARACHI: Tests of a teenager who died 10 days ago confirmed on Friday that he had fallen prey to Naegleria fowleri, better known as ‘brain-eating amoeba’, raising its death toll this year to 10 in Sindh and nine in Karachi.

What caused alarm to the provincial health administration was that a 50-year-old man was also admitted to hospital in Nawabshah on Friday with somewhat similar symptoms.

The 13-year-old son of Zahid Hussain, Hashir, had been admitted to two private hospitals last month after his condition deteriorated. He died in the hospital on August 26.

Previously, his death was ascribed to meningitis, which shows similar symptoms. However, it emerged on Friday that the death was caused by Naegleria fowleri.

Meanwhile, sources said a 50-year-old man from Buchheri village of Benazirabad district had been admitted with suspected Naegleria fowleri to a government hospital in Nawabshah city. They said the man was on a ventilator in a critical condition.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2014