Nine-Year-Old Israeli Boy Hospitalized in Critical Condition After Contracting Brain-Eating Amoeba

A nine-year-old boy, Baruch Neria from Pardes Hanna, has been hospitalized in severe condition at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa after contracting a brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. The infection has caused inflammation of his brain. Preliminary investigations by the Israeli Ministry of Health indicate that the boy likely contracted the amoeba about a week before his hospitalization while swimming at Kursi Beach on the Sea of Galilee. He is currently in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator in the pediatric intensive care unit. Lab tests have confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri as the cause of his infection.

Professor Dani Eitan, head of the pediatric intensive care unit at Ruth Children's Hospital at Rambam, stated that the child arrived with symptoms of central nervous system infection and was transferred from another hospital. The suspicion of amoebic infection arose from the clinical picture, lab results, and the history of swimming in the Sea of Galilee. The professor described the boy's condition as extremely serious and expressed hope for the best while emphasizing the care provided to the child and his family.

This is not the first case of Naegleria fowleri infection in Israel. Three other cases have been diagnosed in recent years, two of which were fatal. In the summer of 2022, a 36-year-old man died from the infection. In July 2024, a 26-year-old, Tzachi Alon, died from the amoeba, and just three weeks later, a ten-year-old, Roi Zigdon, was infected after swimming in the Sea of Galilee. Roi Zigdon has been hospitalized for months and is reportedly still fighting for his life at home.

Naegleria fowleri infections are rare globally, with fewer than 500 cases reported worldwide. The mortality rate is extremely high, with survival chances around 10%, according to Dr. Tamar Gutsman, head of infectious diseases at Beilinson Hospital. Most patients die within 5 to 10 days of symptom onset. Treatment involves antifungal, antiparasitic, and antibiotic medications, and sometimes cerebrospinal fluid drainage to prevent brain swelling.

Dr. Rotem Lapidot, head of pediatric infectious diseases at Rambam, explained that the amoeba thrives in warm freshwater (28 degrees Celsius and above) and enters the brain through the nose, typically when water is inhaled. Infection is extremely rare, not contagious person-to-person, and cannot be contracted by drinking water. Symptoms, appearing 5-6 days after exposure, include fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, and neurological changes. Professor Israel Potsman, an infectious disease consultant, added that the amoeba damages brain tissue, causing severe inflammation with limited treatment options. He noted that early diagnosis is challenging because brain infections are often assumed to be bacterial or viral, and not all labs can detect the amoeba. The Ministry of Health is investigating the presence and extent of the amoeba in the Sea of Galilee. Prevention measures include avoiding getting water in the nose while swimming, not diving, and using nose clips. Stirring up sediment in shallow water should also be avoided as amoeba concentration may be higher there.