Israeli Boy, 9, Dies From Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba After Lake Tiberias Swim

A nine-year-old boy from Pardes Hanna, Neria Baruch, has died after contracting a rare and aggressive amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the "brain-eating amoeba." He became infected while swimming at the Koresi beach on the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias).

Doctors at Rambam Health Care Campus fought for nearly three weeks to save his life, but despite intensive treatment, he succumbed to the infection. The case first came to light on September 6 when the Ministry of Health announced a nine-year-old boy was hospitalized in serious condition, sedated and on a ventilator, due to encephalitis caused by the amoeba.

An epidemiological investigation revealed that Neria had been swimming at Koresi beach about a week before his hospitalization. He was initially admitted to a different hospital before being transferred to Rambam. Professor Dani Eitan, Director of Pediatric Intensive Care at Rambam, stated at the time that the suspected infection was based on the clinical presentation, lab results, and information about his exposure to the Sea of Galilee's waters.

Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism found in warm freshwater. In rare cases, water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose, potentially reaching the brain, destroying tissue, and causing severe swelling and inflammation. Infection cannot occur from drinking water and is not transmitted person-to-person. The disease progresses rapidly, with a mortality rate exceeding 97%. Between 1962 and 2024, only 167 cases were documented in the United States, with only four survivors. While aggressive treatment involving multiple drugs and managing brain swelling is recommended, the prognosis remains extremely poor.