AKIPRESS.COM - An Israeli man who contracted encephalitis caused by a rare amoeba last week in the second-ever case recorded in Israel has died of the infection, announced Beilinson Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment, on Sunday, The Times of Israel reported.

The amoeba, known as Naegleria Fowleri, lives in soil and warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is commonly called the “brain-eating amoeba” due to the brain infection it can cause if water containing the amoeba goes up the nose, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.

The deceased, an otherwise healthy 25-year-old man, is thought to have potentially come into contact with the amoeba while swimming at Gai Beach on the shores of the Kinneret in northern Israel. He was initially admitted to Sharon Hospital last Tuesday after presenting with symptoms including fever, headaches, and vomiting. After his condition worsened, he was transferred to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikvah.

Following his death, the Kan public broadcaster quoted the hospital as saying, “From the moment he was hospitalized, medical teams used everything at their disposal, including drug treatments and surgical interventions in order to save the patient’s life, but his condition continued to deteriorate.”