CDC: Michigan transplant recipient dies of rabies
The CDC said a Michigan man who received a kidney in Ohio in December 2024 died in February from transplant-associated rabies, tracing the donor’s infection to a skunk scratch in Idaho that likely involved a silver‑haired bat variant. Three corneal tissue recipients had grafts removed, received rabies treatment and remain asymptomatic, while officials notified 370 potential contacts and recommended post‑exposure procedures for 46. The CDC noted rabies is not part of routine donor testing due to its rarity and complexity, calling this the fourth documented U.S. transplant-transmitted rabies case since 1978.
📌 Key Facts
- Kidney recipient died 51 days after a December 2024 transplant performed in Ohio; death occurred in February 2025.
- Donor from Idaho was scratched by a skunk while saving a kitten; CDC identified a silver‑haired bat rabies variant.
- Three corneal tissue recipients underwent graft removal and post‑exposure prophylaxis; all are asymptomatic.
- CDC notified 370 potential contacts; 46 were advised to undergo rabies post‑exposure procedures.
- CDC emphasized rabies is excluded from routine donor testing and staff initially missed the skunk exposure.
📊 Relevant Data
From 2015 to 2024, 17 human rabies cases were reported in the United States, two of which were contracted outside the U.S.
Outbreaks of rabies rising across the U.S., CDC surveillance suggests — NBC News
Approximately 4,000 animal rabies cases are reported each year in the United States, with more than 90% occurring in wildlife such as bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.
In 2024, more than 48,000 organ transplants were performed in the United States.
About 70% of human rabies cases in the US are caused by bat bites.
Rabies – NFID — NFID