Boy Hospitalized in Serious Condition After Contracting Brain-Eating Amoeba in Sea of Galilee

A nine-year-old boy is in serious condition at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa after contracting a rare and deadly brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. An initial epidemiological investigation by the Ministry of Health indicated the child swam at the Kinneret's Kursi beach approximately one week before his hospitalization. The boy is currently sedated and on a respirator in the intensive care unit.

A sample sent to the Ministry of Health labs confirmed the presence of the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, which causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a severe brain infection. This is a rare disease with fewer than 500 cases reported globally. In Israel, three other cases have been diagnosed in recent years, two of which were fatal.

Previous cases in Israel include a 36-year-old man who died in the summer of 2022, 26-year-old Tzachi Alon who died within days of infection, and 10-year-old Roai Zigdon who battled the illness for months after contracting it during a family vacation in the Sea of Galilee.

Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba typically found in warm freshwater sources. Infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the amoeba to travel to the brain. The disease is not transmitted through drinking water or person-to-person contact.

The Ministry of Health advises minimizing water entry into the nose while swimming in warm freshwater, especially when jumping or diving. Using nose plugs or pinching the nose is recommended. Additionally, stirring up sediment in shallow water, where the amoeba may be more concentrated, should be avoided. If symptoms like fever, severe headache, nausea, or vomiting appear after exposure to warm freshwater, followed by stiff neck, confusion, unusual drowsiness, or altered consciousness, immediate medical attention is crucial, and healthcare providers should be informed of the water exposure.