Child Hospitalized with Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba After Swimming in Sea of Galilee

A young boy, approximately 9 years old, is in serious condition, sedated and on a ventilator in intensive care at Rambam Hospital after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba. An initial epidemiological investigation by the Ministry of Health suggests the infection occurred after the child swam at the Kinneret's Kursi beach about a week before his hospitalization. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Naegleria Fowleri, the amoeba responsible for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), often called the "brain-eating amoeba."

This is not the first case of PAM in Israel. In August 2022, a 36-year-old man died from the same amoeba, and in July 2024, a 10-year-old boy was diagnosed with the infection and hospitalized in intensive care. The Ministry of Health advises minimizing the risk of infection when swimming in warm freshwater by avoiding water entering the nose, especially during jumping or diving. Using nose plugs or holding the nose shut is recommended. They also suggest avoiding disturbing the sediment in shallow waters where the amoeba may be more concentrated.

Professor Israel Potasman, an infectious disease consultant, explained that Naegleria Fowleri is a rare amoeba that causes severe brain inflammation. Infection typically occurs when swimming in freshwater containing the amoeba, which enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain along the olfactory nerves. Symptoms to watch for include fever, severe headaches, and vomiting, which can mimic meningitis. The rarity of the disease can delay diagnosis, making rapid identification crucial but challenging as not all labs can detect it.

Globally, only about 500 cases of infection have been reported. The risk of infection increases during heatwaves when water temperatures rise and water levels drop. Experts also express concern that climate change may lead to an increase in potential infection sites as global temperatures and water temperatures rise.