Prof. Jahad Beshara, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Bilinson, explains today (Wednesday) about the “brain-eating amoeba”, which infected a second patient in Israel in the last day and describes how the deadly amoeba is contracted and how it can be avoided: “From the previous case that was hospitalized with us, we learned that it is a disease Very, very rare. So far there have been two confirmed cases in Israel. I hope that the current suspicion will not be true because the mortality rate is very high and there is no treatment. It is very rare in the world and about 400 patients have been described.
Infection through the nose
Prof. Beshara says that “the amoeba is a single-celled parasite. It is found freely in nature, in fresh water and does not survive in the presence of chlorine. The amoeba is not found in fresh pool water that is treated with chlorine. When the temperature is high, the amoeba is active, divides and multiplies. Drinking contaminated water will not cause infection In amoeba. For it to reach the brain and cause an infection, it has to penetrate through the nose, by diving or splashing the water from the nose.”
A brain-eating amoeba of the “Nalagria poulari” variety, photo: Wikipedia
Avoid entering stagnant water sources
“When it reaches the marrow, it causes the death of marrow cells, a serious illness and also the death of the patient. Stagnant, sweet water, not treated with chlorine and spraying through the nose – these are the characteristics that are required. The Ministry of Health checked following the previous case and found no evidence of the presence of amoeba. Infection usually Happens in swamps and stagnant bodies of water,” Prof. Bashara describes the infection process.
It is important to note that the infection only occurs when infected water is inhaled through the nose, and not through ingestion or contact with the skin. In light of this, experts recommend being careful when bathing in hot water sources, especially during periods of high temperatures.
Ziv Hospital, photo: Gini Agency
This morning the Ministry of Health announced that a 10-year-old boy suffered from encephalitis, is sedated and ventilated in intensive care at Ziv Hospital. This morning (Wednesday) a sample was sent to the Ministry of Health laboratories in order to rule out or confirm infection with the rare amoeba (naegleria fowleri). The Ministry of Health confirmed that the child did have a rare amoeba.
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