Nine-Year-Old Boy Hospitalized in Serious Condition with Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba
A 9-year-old boy is in serious condition at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa after contracting the rare Naegleria fowleri amoeba. The Ministry of Health reported that the boy, who is on a ventilator, swam at Kursi Beach on the Sea of Galilee prior to hospitalization.
A nine-year-old boy has been hospitalized in serious condition at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa after contracting the rare amoeba Naegleria fowleri, which can cause a fatal brain infection. The boy is currently sedated and ventilated in the pediatric intensive care unit, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday morning.
An initial epidemiological investigation conducted by the Ministry of Health revealed that approximately one week before his hospitalization, the boy swam at Kursi Beach on the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret). A sample taken from the patient was sent to the Ministry of Health laboratories on Saturday night, where the presence of the rare amoeba was confirmed.
Previous Cases in Israel
In the summer of 2024, two cases of amoeba infection occurred in Israel within a few weeks. Tzahi Alon, 26, contracted the amoeba after visiting the Gai Beach water park on the Sea of Galilee and subsequently passed away in the hospital. Approximately three weeks later, a 10-year-old boy named Roi, who visited the same park with a summer camp, was also diagnosed with the infection. Following these cases, the Ministry of Health ordered the closure of the water park and launched an epidemiological investigation.
This is an extremely rare disease with a high mortality rate. According to the Ministry of Health, fewer than 500 cases have been reported worldwide to date, including two diagnosed in the United States over the past year. In Israel, three cases have been diagnosed in recent years.
Transmission and Preventive Measures
Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba found mainly in warm freshwater sources. In rare cases, it can enter the body when water containing the amoeba enters through the nose, traveling to the brain and causing a severe infection of the central nervous system. Infection does not occur from drinking water, and the disease is not transmitted from person to person.
Following the case, the Ministry of Health issued safety recommendations for swimming in warm freshwater:
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Minimize water entry into the nose, especially when jumping, diving, or submerging the head.
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Use nose clips or hold the nose closed.
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Avoid stirring up or digging into the sediment in shallow waters, where the amoeba may be present in higher concentrations.
Health officials emphasize that if symptoms such as fever, significant headache, nausea, or vomiting develop after exposure to warm freshwater, immediate attention is required. If symptoms progress to stiff neck, confusion, unusual drowsiness, or altered consciousness, urgent medical evaluation is necessary, and the exposure to freshwater must be reported.
