Maryland Resident Dies of Human Rabies, First Diagnosed Case since 1976

Health officials weren't expecting the death of a Maryland local infected with rabies, the state's first case of human rabies in nearly four decades, according to The Washington Post. 

It's a mystery how the person was exposed to the virus, and no additional information regarding the individual or location of his or her death has been provided at this time to protect the privacy of the family.

In a statement, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said doctors and public health officials are assessing the risk of rabies exposure in people who had direct contact with the individual. When people are exposed to rabies, it is usually because of a bite from an infected animal, not from contact with another person.

The last case of human rabies was in 1976, the statement said.

State public health veterinarian, Katherine Feldman, said the infection occurred in the past few weeks, and public health officials are trying to determine "who may have kissed the patient or anybody who had saliva contact" with the individual. "Thankfully, we don't share saliva with a whole lot of people," as the virus is transmitted through saliva.

The Human rabies is prevented with rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin, or preformed antibodies. However, preventive treatment is only recommended for people with specific types of exposure to the saliva, tears, respiratory secretions or to fluid from the nervous system of an infected person, and it is reported that in the past 10 years, there have been fewer than five human rabies cases diagnosed in the U.S.

Feldman said that  as of last year, 320 animals with rabies were detected in Maryland, and about 1,000 people in Maryland received the preventive treatment after exposure through an animal bite.