A 9-year-old boy is in critical condition with encephalitis (severe brain inflammation) after contracting the rare brain-eating Naegleria fowleri amoeba, Israel’s Health Ministry announced on Sunday.

A sample sent to Health Ministry laboratories overnight confirmed the infection. The child is currently sedated and on a ventilator in the intensive care unit at Rambam Hospital in Haifa.

A preliminary epidemiological investigation found that the child had swum at Kursi Beach on the Kinneret about a week before he was hospitalized.

The Health Ministry noted that the disease is rare, with fewer than 500 cases reported worldwide. Two cases were diagnosed in the United States over the past year, while three cases have been recorded in Israel in recent years.

Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba found primarily in warm freshwater. In extremely rare cases, it can cause a severe central nervous system infection when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the amoeba to reach the brain.

The infection is not caused by drinking contaminated water and cannot be transmitted from person to person.

To reduce the risk when swimming in warm freshwater, people are advised to avoid getting water in their nose, particularly when jumping, diving or submerging their head. Holding the nose closed or using a nose clip can help. Swimmers should also avoid digging into or stirring up sediment in shallow water, where the amoeba may be present in higher concentrations.

Anyone who develops a fever, severe headache, nausea, or vomiting after exposure to warm freshwater should seek medical attention, particularly if symptoms progress to a stiff neck, confusion, unusual drowsiness, or changes in consciousness. Medical personnel should be informed of the recent water exposure.

The disease is extremely rare, but it can progress rapidly when it occurs and has a high mortality rate.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)