Rising Fatalities Linked to Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba in Freshwater Sources

Recent deaths in India and Israel highlight the dangers of Naegleria fowleri, a deadly amoeba found in warm freshwater.

A 14-year-old boy in Kerala, India, and a 25-year-old man in Israel have recently died from infections caused by Naegleria fowleri.
This amoeba, often referred to as a 'brain-eating' parasite, thrives in warm freshwater and enters the body through the nose.
Symptoms of infection include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and rapid progression to coma and death.
Health officials are conducting water inspections and urging the public to avoid warm freshwater activities.
The mortality rate for this infection is extremely high, with most patients dying within days of symptom onset.