ICMR–Kerala case-control study links non-chlorinated well water use to AME risk
A joint field-level case-control study by the Kerala Health Department and ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (Chennai) on amoebic meningoencephalitis (AME) cases reported in Kerala in 2025 identified exposure to natural water bodies and use of non-chlorinated water (including well water) for bathing and other domestic purposes as significant risk factors. The study reports that people using well water for bathing or washing the face had 2.95 times higher odds of AME caused by Acanthamoeba, with an estimated population attributable fraction of 34.2%.
This provides state-specific epidemiological evidence for a potentially modifiable exposure, which can inform public health guidance on safer water use and chlorination to reduce AME risk.