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Doctors in the intensive care unit at Beilinson Hospital are fighting to save the life of a young man infected with the deadly brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri.
As reported: Maariv, the 26-year-old patient likely contracted the amoeba while swimming at the Gai Water Park in Tiberias. His condition remains critical with no signs of improvement.
Initially, the patient was completely healthy until he developed amoebic meningoencephalitis. The infection probably reached his brain through his nose.
This disease is caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, which thrives in warm water at temperatures between 35 to 42 °C (95 to 108 °F). Symptoms of amoebic meningoencephalitis typically appear within ten days of infection and include high fever, severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, loss of consciousness, and ultimately death. The disease can lead to death within a few days, with a mortality rate of 98%.
After being diagnosed at Poria Hospital in Tiberias, the patient’s condition rapidly deteriorated, necessitating his transfer to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri.
The Ministry of Health took water samples from the water park where he swam but found no evidence of amoeba contamination. There is no specific treatment for Naegleria fowleri infection. The standard approach includes the use of antibiotics, antifungal drugs, and steroids to reduce brain swelling. However, the prognosis remains grim due to the high mortality rate associated with this infection.
