NAEGLERIA fowleri can simply be defined as a brain-eating amoeba invisible to naked eyes which is found in freshwater lakes, ponds, swimming pools and unchlorinated tap water. It enters the brain through the nasal passage and destroys the brain, causing death in 95 per cent victims.

Swimming pools with poorly chlorinated water are the known sources where this amoeba can be found. Moreover, the water supplies we are getting at our homes directly from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board or through the tankers are contaminated and mostly unchlorinated or inadequately chlorinated.

Therefore, all people in their own interest should take proper safety measures, like using chlorine tablets or calcium hypochlorite powder to disinfect water reservoirs.

Also, there should be some agency to ensure that the water being used at the swimming pools and water parks are properly chlorinated, and if any such facility is found having unchlorinated water, it should be closed and heavily fined.

Besides, water being used for ablution in mosques and other religious places should also be chlorinated, while boiled or chlorinated water should be used for the purpose at home.

Malik ul Quddoos
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021