This marks the first human case of rabies in Michigan since 2009. Fewer than 10 people die of the virus in the US each year.
LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — A Michigan resident died from rabies after receiving a transplanted organ in Lucas County earlier this year, according to the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
Dr. Carl Schmidt, a deputy coroner with the Lucas County Coroner’s Office, said the recipient, who had undergone a kidney transplant in December, contracted the viral disease through the donated organ.
“The diagnosis was confirmed by sending tissue to the CDC,” Schmidt said. “The cause of death is rabies and complications.”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services worked with the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the case, marking the first human case of rabies in Michigan since 2009. The testing was conducted in the CDC’s Rabies Lab.
There have been no reported human cases of rabies in Ohio since 1970, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
The CDC, along with state health departments, confirmed that no additional individuals are at risk of rabies exposure.
“A multi-state public health investigation was conducted to determine the risk of exposure to the recipient and found no risk to the general public,” Heather Burnette, spokesperson for the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, said. “Because the recipient was a Michigan resident, this case will not be classified as an Ohio human rabies case.”
Kara Steele, a representative from Life Connection of Ohio, could not comment on the specific case but explained to WTOL 11 that a donor risk assessment interview is conducted before any organ donation.
“[It gathers] a potential donor’s comprehensive medical and social history on top of a physical assessment and lab work in order to ensure the safety of organs for transplantation,” Steele said. “If an organ procurement organization received word from a transplant center concerning any recipient issues, the organ procurement organization would reach out to additional centers that transplanted other organs from a donor hero to see how their recipients are doing and then report back.”
The identities of both the recipient and the donor have not been released.
The facility where the transplant took place has also not been disclosed. However, according to the University of Toledo Medical Center’s website, it is the only organ transplant center in northwest Ohio.
WTOL 11 has reached out to UTMC for comment.
The CDC urges individuals to contact a healthcare provider immediately if they suspect exposure to rabies. Any mammal can contract rabies, although high-risk animals include bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.
Fewer than 10 people in the United States die from rabies each year, according to the CDC.
