Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba Claims Life of 26-Year-Old in Israel
A 26-year-old Israeli man died on Sunday at Beilinson Hospital in central Israel due to complications from an infection caused by a rare brain-eating amoeba. The hospital confirmed the cause of death in a statement.
The Israeli Health Ministry’s investigation revealed that the man, who had no pre-existing health conditions, likely contracted the infection while swimming in the Sea of Galilee in northeastern Israel. The infection, known as naegleriasis or primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), is caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba and leads to a severe brain infection.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
“Despite exhaustive efforts by our medical teams, including drug therapy and surgical interventions, the patient’s condition continued to deteriorate,” the hospital’s statement read.
This is only the second recorded case of this infection in Israel. The first case occurred about two years ago, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old man, according to hospital records. Although extremely rare, PAM has a fatality rate exceeding 97%.
Naegleria fowleri amoebas thrive in warm freshwater bodies, puddles, and stagnant water with temperatures between 35 to 42 degrees Celsius. Initial symptoms of PAM include severe headaches, fever, nausea, and vomiting, which can progress to a stiff neck, seizures, or hallucinations within one to nine days after exposure.
