Kidney transplant recipient dies of rabies after donor scratched by skunk: CDC

A tragic collection of occasions led to a deadly case of transplant-related rabies earlier this yr.

Well being officers introduced Thursday that an organ recipient who underwent transplant surgical procedure in Ohio died of rabies in February. Additional investigation revealed that the donor had change into contaminated with the lethal virus after rescuing a kitten from a skunk.

The unnamed Michigan affected person obtained the donor’s kidney in December 2024 and later developed extreme signs that prompted hospitalization and “invasive” procedures, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).

He reportedly had fever, tremors, issue swallowing and worry of water and died 51 days after the transplant.

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An Idaho man reportedly died of rabies after being scratched by a skunk. (iStock)

The CDC stated the donor, whose donated tissue went to a few different recipients, was contaminated with the silver-haired bat variant of rabies, suggesting the skunk was contaminated by a bat.

Data confirmed the organ donor, from Idaho, was scratched on his shin whereas preventing off a skunk that confirmed “predatory aggression” six weeks earlier than his demise.

“In late October 2024, a skunk approached the donor whereas he was holding a kitten in an outbuilding on his property,” the CDC stated. “Throughout an encounter that left the skunk unconscious, the donor sustained a shin scratch that was bleeding, however didn’t suppose he had been bitten. Based on the household, the donor attributed the skunk’s habits to predatory aggression towards the kitten.”

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A donor recipient reportedly died simply weeks after transplant surgical procedure in Ohio. (iStock)

Over the following 5 weeks, the donor skilled hallucinations, issue swallowing, issue strolling and a stiff neck, the company stated.

Two days later, he was discovered unconscious at house after a suspected coronary heart assault, in keeping with well being officers. He was reportedly revived at a hospital, however was declared mind useless and brought off life assist.

The CDC stated his organs have been donated after the household documented the encounter with the skunk in a donor danger evaluation. Nevertheless, well being officers famous that the shape didn’t display for rabies, citing its “rarity in people.”

“In the USA, relations of potential donors typically present details about a donor’s infectious illness danger components, together with publicity to animals,” the CDC stated. “Rabies has been excluded from routine testing of donor pathogens attributable to its rarity in people in the USA and the complexity of diagnostic testing. On this case, hospital employees members treating the donor have been initially unaware of the skunk and attributed its pre-admission indicators and signs to persistent comorbidities.”

Well being officers added that three different sufferers obtained corneal tissue from the identical contaminated donor. All underwent graft elimination, obtained anti-rabies remedy and remained asymptomatic, the CDC reported.

Based on the company, well being officers additionally contacted 370 individuals who could have come into contact with the donor. Forty-six of them have been suggested to bear rabies procedures.

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A Michigan man was scratched by a skunk whereas rescuing a kitten on his rural property. (Peter Bischoff)

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Well being officers stated the kidney recipient’s demise is the fourth documented case of rabies transmission by an organ transplant within the U.S. since 1978, and confused that the chance of such infections stays extraordinarily low.

Transplant groups at the moment are suggested to seek the advice of public well being officers if a possible donor has had current bites or scratches from animals prone to rabies, particularly if the donor has had unexplained neurological signs.

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“Nevertheless, there’s presently no normal steerage for addressing reported publicity to donor animals by transplant groups,” the CDC stated.

About 1.4 million People obtain look after potential publicity to rabies every year, and fewer than 10 individuals die from the illness because of efficient prevention efforts, in keeping with the company.

Fox Information Digital reached out to the CDC for extra data.