Boy, 9, Hospitalized in Critical Condition After Contracting Brain-Eating Amoeba

A nine-year-old boy is in intensive care, sedated and on a ventilator, at Rambam Medical Center after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the "brain-eating amoeba." Laboratory tests confirmed the infection.

An initial epidemiological investigation by the Ministry of Health indicated that the child swam in Kursi beach on the Sea of Galilee about a week before his hospitalization. However, officials stressed that this is a preliminary finding and does not definitively pinpoint the source of exposure.

Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba typically found in warm freshwater sources. In extremely rare cases, it can enter the body through the nose and travel to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a severe and rapidly progressing brain inflammation with a very high mortality rate. Globally, fewer than 500 cases have been reported, with only a handful in Israel in recent years.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the disease cannot be contracted by drinking water and is not transmitted from person to person. Infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose, often during activities like jumping or diving into warm freshwater. To reduce risk, the ministry advises avoiding getting water up the nose, especially during dives, and suggests using nose plugs. Stirring up sediment in shallow water should also be avoided.

While the case is severe, the ministry reiterated that the disease is extremely rare and has not issued a general warning against swimming in the Sea of Galilee. They urged the public to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, or unusual drowsiness appear after exposure to warm freshwater, noting that early detection and treatment are crucial due to the disease's rapid progression.