Boy dies of neurological infection in Udupi

An 18-year-old died due to neurological melioidosis, in Udupi on July 28.

The deceased identified as Deekshith from Pithrodi contracted the infection when he playing barefoot in a submerged area near his house.

He was taken to KMC, Manipal on July 11. The delayed treatment made him unresponsive to the treatment and he slipped into a coma. The deceased suffered facial palsy.

DHO Dr Rohini told DH that neurological melioidosis is not actually fatal and is an ordinary infection. It is non-communicable from one human to another.

However, it is said that the bacteria causing the infection is found in the mud. Sometimes it also leads to skin infection and pneumonia and is very rarely fatal. It sometimes proves to be serious when the person who has contracted it is suffering from an unidentified disease. The simple bacterial infection will sometimes end up with meningitis. The infection can be cured by administering antibiotics.

She said that a detailed investigation will be taken up and the people who especially work in the paddy fields need to be told about the necessary precautions to be taken. Earlier such cases were detected, but it did not prove fatal, DHO added.

Following the report sent by the district health department to the state government, a team of experts led by Dr Akhilesh from National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) New Delhi, has arrived and have collected the soil samples from the region for testing.