In a rare instance, a Michigan man died of rabies after receiving a kidney transplant from an Idaho man who succumbed to the disease. The donor was scratched by a skunk while protecting a kitten. Following the recipient’s death and a review of the donor’s medical history, authorities discovered the skunk encounter and later confirmed the donor’s rabies infection through kidney biopsies. This led to a “likely three-step transmission chain” from a bat to a skunk to the donor and finally, to the recipient. The CDC has reported that this is only the fourth recorded transplant-transmitted rabies event in the U.S. since 1978.
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In a landmark event amidst the ongoing conflict, doctors at Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt children’s hospital performed a life-saving organ transplant utilizing organs from a deceased 4-year-old girl. This historic procedure, the first of its kind at the hospital, involved the donation of her heart, liver, and kidneys, saving three critically ill children. Despite the backdrop of relentless Russian missile strikes and air raid alerts, a coordinated team of medical professionals successfully completed the complex operation, with recipients including a 16-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and a 12-year-old girl. This achievement occurred following a previous attack on the hospital, which caused international outrage.
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A Michigan resident died from rabies contracted through a kidney transplant received in Lucas County, Ohio, in December. This is the first rabies case in Michigan since 2009 and prompted a joint investigation involving Michigan, Ohio, and CDC officials. The donor risk assessment process was followed, according to Life Connection of Ohio, and no further individuals are at risk. The identities of the donor and recipient, as well as the transplant facility, remain undisclosed. Rabies-related deaths in the U.S. are extremely rare.
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John Q. Hosedrinker