Health Ministry Issues Warnings After Child Contracts Brain-Eating Amoeba in Sea of Galilee

Following the hospitalization of a nine-year-old boy in very serious condition with a "brain-eating amoeba" (Naegleria fowleri), the Ministry of Health issued a series of recommendations for swimmers in the Sea of Galilee. While the disease is extremely rare, its mortality rate is high. The ministry is urging the public to take precautions to prevent water from entering the nose.

The boy, Baruch Neria from Pardes Hanna, is hospitalized in intensive care at Rambam Health Care Campus, sedated and on a ventilator, after contracting amoebic encephalitis. Epidemiological investigation indicates he swam at Kinneret's Kursi beach about a week before his hospitalization. Infection occurs only when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the parasite to potentially reach the brain. The disease is not contagious person-to-person and cannot be contracted by drinking water.

To reduce the risk of infection, the Ministry of Health recommends using appropriate nose plugs, avoiding diving, jumping into the water, or submerging the head as much as possible, and refraining from activities that force water into the nose. Swimmers should also avoid disturbing the water or sediment in shallow areas, where the amoeba may be more concentrated. The ministry also advises posting signs at Sea of Galilee beaches to inform swimmers of the risks and necessary precautions.

Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled amoeba naturally found in freshwater. The risk of infection increases with water temperature; the amoeba thrives in warm water, above 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit), but does not live in saltwater. The amoeba travels along the olfactory nerve directly to the brain, causing severe inflammation with limited treatment options. The rarity of the disease makes rapid diagnosis difficult, as most brain infections are caused by bacteria or viruses.

The Ministry of Health clarified that isolated water sampling is insufficient to determine beach safety, as the amoeba's distribution in water and sediment can be uneven. Globally, fewer than 500 cases have been reported, with 167 in the United States between 1962 and 2024. In Israel, only four cases have been diagnosed since 2022. In the summer of 2022, a 36-year-old man died from the amoeba. In July 2024, two cases were diagnosed in individuals who visited the Aqua Kef water park at the Guy Beach: Tzachi Alon, 26, who died within days, and Roi Zigdon, 10, who was hospitalized for months and is still fighting for his life. The current case of Baruch Neria at Kursi beach is the fourth diagnosed in Israel.