Israeli man hospitalized after being infected by rare brain-eating amoeba

A young person has contracted a rare brain disease caused by an amoeba in the Kinneret's Guy Beach, the Health Ministry reported on Thursday.

The Health Ministry updated that a 25-year-old male resident of central Israel, without underlying health conditions, had contracted a rare form of brain inflammation known as amoebic encephalitis.

With around 400 cases of Naegleria fowleri amoeba infections reported worldwide, the young man is suffering from a rare disease with a high mortality rate, the ministry said.

According to the Health Ministry’s report, the young man is hospitalized in intensive care and is in critical condition.

The brain-eating amoeba is found in freshwater, ponds, or various types of standing water sources.

A Health Ministry’s Central District office investigation found that the young man likely contracted the disease at Guy Beach. Moreover, the Health Ministry sent environmental health inspectors to check and sample the water for further investigation.

Fatal Naegleria Fowleri case

The Ministry of Health will update the public as necessary.

Maariv reported that in recent years, there has been one case in Israel of fatal infection from the Naegleria fowleri amoeba. In August 2022, a healthy 36-year-old man from northern Israel died of severe brain inflammation after contracting the amoeba, known as "brain-eating amoeba." The patient was diagnosed at the Tzafon Medical Center. It is believed he contracted amoeba through contaminated water in a hot tub.

Symptoms of amoebic brain inflammation typically appear within about ten days of infection and include high fever, severe headaches worsened by sleep, nausea and vomiting, neck stiffness, seizures, loss of consciousness, and death.