Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba Infects Israeli Child, Critical Condition

A nine-year-old boy is hospitalized in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Rambam Medical Center, sedated and on a respirator, suffering from encephalitis. The Ministry of Health laboratories confirmed the child contracted the illness from a rare amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. An epidemiological investigation revealed the boy swam in the Kursi beach area on the Sea of Galilee about a week before his hospitalization.

This is an extremely rare disease with a high mortality rate; fewer than 500 cases have been reported globally, and Israel has seen three cases in recent years. The amoeba is found in warm freshwater sources, and infection occurs when water enters the nose. The disease is not transmitted from person to person.

The Ministry of Health advises avoiding water entering the nose while swimming in warm freshwater and seeking immediate medical attention if experiencing fever and headache after water exposure.