Man Dies from Rabies Following Transplant, Not From Animal Bite: First Case Since 1976

First Posted: Mar 15, 2013 11:59 AM EDT
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Rabies, a viral disease typically contracted following a bite from an infected animal, is the reason why one Maryland patient died. However, he got the infection from an organ donor who had rabies after receiving a kidney transplant more than a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention admitted Friday.

Three people in other states, in Florida, Georgia and Illinois, received tainted organs from the same donor, but their conditions were not immediately known. At the time, rabies wasn't suspected as the cause of the donor's death, and no rabies test was done before the donor's kidneys, heart, and liver were delivered for transplantation.

The CDC said they are giving anti-rabies shots to them in case of an infection. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death within days.

The Maryland man was in his 20s, but health officials are not releasing much information in order to protect his privacy. An investigation into his death revealed he had to contact with animals, leading the investigation to point to the donor.

The CDC said this is the first reported rabies-related death since 1976. Meanwhile, the donor is said to have died in Florida in 2011 after moving there from North Carolina.

This is the third time that the rabies virus is transferred via organ donations.  A cluster of cases occurred in Texas in 2004 and in Germany in 2005, according to the Washington Post. There have been at least eight cases around the world contracted through cornea transplants.

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