Boy Hospitalized in Serious Condition After Swimming in Sea of Galilee

A 9-year-old boy is hospitalized in serious condition with encephalitis at Rambam Health Care Campus, sedated and on a respirator in the intensive care unit. A sample sent to the Ministry of Health laboratories confirmed the suspicion that the boy contracted the rare amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Initial epidemiological investigation revealed the boy swam at the Kinneret's Kursi beach about a week before his hospitalization.

Naegleria fowleri is a very rare amoeba with a high mortality rate. Globally, fewer than 500 cases have been reported, including two in the US in the past year. In Israel, three cases have been diagnosed in recent years. The amoeba is microscopic and found primarily in warm freshwater sources. In extremely rare cases, it can cause severe central nervous system infections.

Infection occurs when water containing the amoeba enters the nose and travels to the brain. The disease is not caused by drinking water and is not transmitted from person to person. The Ministry of Health recommends minimizing water entry into the nose while swimming in warm freshwater, especially when jumping, diving, or submerging the head. Closing the nose or using nose plugs is advised, as is avoiding digging or stirring up the bottom in shallow water.

Symptoms such as fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, unusual drowsiness, or altered consciousness after exposure to warm freshwater require immediate medical attention, and the exposure should be noted. The Ministry of Health is continuing to monitor the case and will update the public if necessary.