Israeli Youth Hospitalized With Severe Eye Parasite After Swimming in Sea of Galilee

Dangerous Parasite in the Sea of Galilee

A 20-year-old Israeli man was recently hospitalized in central Israel after being diagnosed with a microsporidium infection in his eye, contracted after swimming in the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) during his summer vacation.

The patient's mother, Ilanit (pseudonym), revealed that her son underwent intensive and painful treatment, which included the manual removal of the corneal epithelial layer twice, alongside high-frequency eye drops administered hourly, even throughout the night. Three weeks after the onset of symptoms, he continues to suffer from severe pain and blurred vision, with the long-term damage to his eye still undetermined.

Timeline of Symptoms

According to the family, they visited the Ein Gev beach on July 24, and on July 31, the young man swam at the Kursi beach. Approximately two weeks after the last visit, symptoms began to manifest. On August 17, he arrived at an emergency ophthalmic department in central Israel, where clinical examinations immediately raised suspicions of microsporidiosis, later confirmed by a PCR test.

"He came to me and said something was wrong with his eye, and I immediately recalled reading about microsporidium in the Sea of Galilee," the mother said. "My husband and son laughed at me, calling me paranoid, but when we arrived at the hospital, it turned out to be exactly that."

During his hospitalization, doctors also ruled out a co-infection of Acanthamoeba—a common waterborne amoeba that can cause devastating corneal damage. Although the PCR test for Acanthamoeba returned negative, the medical team treated him defensively for both pathogens to prevent irreversible vision loss.

Painful Recovery and Public Awareness

The treatment process was described as agonizing. The patient has since been discharged but must return to the cornea clinic every few days. He struggles to keep his eye open for extended periods and continues to experience severe visual blurring.

"The eye has not yet returned to full function," his mother explained. "If he keeps it open for an hour or two, excruciating pain begins. Fortunately, the lesions were removed and the cornea is clean, but cloudiness remains. Only after the treatment ends will we know the permanent damage."

She urged authorities to place clear warning signs at beach entrances:

"We reached the hospital two days after symptoms started. We were told that if we had arrived later, the damage could have been far worse. People need to know that pain, redness, or vision changes after swimming should not be dismissed as a simple infection."

Ministry of Health Warnings

Approximately one month ago, the Ministry of Health reported two cases of corneal damage attributed to the microsporidium parasite in the Sea of Galilee. At the time, officials emphasized that drinking water from the lake remained safe and swimming was permitted at declared beaches.

This case follows a severe incident reported recently, where a 9-year-old boy from Pardes Hanna was hospitalized in critical condition at Rambam Health Care Campus with amoebic meningoencephalitis (brain inflammation) after swimming at Kursi beach.

Consequently, the Ministry of Health issued safety guidelines for swimming in the Sea of Galilee:

• Minimize water entering the nose by using nose clips.

• Avoid diving, jumping, or putting the head underwater.

• Avoid stirring up mud or sediment in shallow areas.

• Local authorities are urged to place visible warning signs detailing these risks at all beaches.