9-year-old boy in Israel in critical condition due to Naegleria fowleri
In Israel, a 9-year-old boy was hospitalized in critical condition with encephalitis caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba. Due to brain swelling, the child was placed in a medically induced coma and connected to a ventilator at Rambam Medical Center, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Swimming before hospitalization
A sample sent to the laboratory of Israel’s Ministry of Health confirmed that Naegleria fowleri was the cause of the illness. According to the ministry, an investigation found that about a week before being hospitalized, the boy had swum at Kursi Beach on Lake Kinneret, also known as the Sea of Galilee.
This microscopic amoeba occurs in warm freshwater bodies. An infection of the central nervous system can develop if water containing the amoeba enters through the nose and the pathogen reaches the brain.
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Ministry recommendations
The Ministry of Health stressed that this infection has a high mortality rate, but occurs extremely rarely. It cannot be contracted by drinking water or from another person.
Fewer than 500 such cases have been recorded worldwide. Last year, two cases were diagnosed in the United States, while Israel has recorded three in recent years.
To reduce the risk when swimming in warm freshwater, the ministry recommends preventing water from entering the nose, including when jumping, diving, or submerging the head. It also advises pinching the nose or using a nose clip and not disturbing the bottom in shallow water, where the concentration of the amoeba may be higher. If fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, confusion, or unusual drowsiness occur, medical assistance should be sought immediately and contact with water should be reported.
