KARACHI: A 44-year-old man died of Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled organism commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba, at a private hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
The death — the first reported Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), the infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, case of this year in the city — raised serious concern over the quality of water being supplied to the city as the victim had no history of swimming and apparently he suffered the deadly infection due to the use of contaminated non-chlorinated tap water.
The victim, married with two children, was a resident of Korangi No 4.
“He reported with high fever, seizures and irregular breathing at the Liaquat National Hospital’s emergency department on July 5. The initial diagnosis was of infection in the nervous system that was later detected to be Naegleria fowleri,” a hospital official told Dawn.
Year’s first death due to deadly infection raises concern over piped water quality; people urged to put chlorine tablets in water tanks
The victim was provided ventilator support, but his condition quickly deteriorated and he passed away in the afternoon.
The official further shared that the victim had no history of swimming and, apparently, contracted the infection from piped tap water.
Last year, Karachi recorded at least five fatalities from the brain-eating amoeba, with the first reported in February.
Infections traced back to routine tap water used for ablution at homes and mosques, rather than swimming, highlighting a severe contamination risk in the city’s domestic water supply.
According to experts, Naegleria fowleri cannot survive in water that is clean, cool and adequately chlorinated. A lack of chlorination in water supplies has been a major problem in the city for decades.
The pathogen, they said, thrives in summer and reproduces rapidly in warm stagnant freshwater. Infections occur when contaminated water is forcefully pushed up the nasal passages, allowing the amoeba to travel to the brain.
Once the amoeba enters the nose, it travels to the brain where it causes PAM, which is fatal in 98 per cent of the cases.
The disease progresses rapidly, with rising fever, worsening headache, vomiting and a stiff neck. Deep coma is followed by cardio-respiratory failure.
Official records show that the first case of PAM was reported in Karachi in May 2012. The disease claimed 10 lives in six months that same year.
According to the Pakistan Medical Association, personal actions to reduce the risk of N. fowleri infection should focus on preventing water from going up the nose. Besides, always drink boiled water and do not wash your face or bathe with polluted water. Do not swim in non-chlorinated pools.
The association urges the general public to put chlorine in underground water tanks [one tablet in 1,000 gallons of water]. Water tanks at homes, hospitals, schools, shopping malls, and offices should be cleaned once a year.
Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026