A patient in Michigan has succumbed to rabies, which was contracted through an organ transplant received in Ohio, the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department reported on Wednesday.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the individual passed away in January after undergoing the transplant procedure in December. This case marks Michigan’s first reported human rabies infection since 2009.

Investigation and Health Agency Responses

According to health officials, a public health investigation concluded that the rabies virus was transmitted via the transplanted organ. Despite the transplant occurring in Ohio, the Michigan patient is counted as a rabies case in Michigan because they were a resident of the state.

Health authorities from both states collaborated on the investigation, which also involved confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Local officials added that the organ donor was not a resident of either Michigan or Ohio.

Public Health Implications

Upon determining the source of the rabies infection, health agencies conducted a multi-state investigation and confirmed there was no risk of exposure to the general public. “Post-exposure preventative care, if appropriate, has been provided,” stated the Michigan health agency.

The CDC emphasizes that rabies is a severe viral infection that can be fatal without prompt medical intervention. Typically transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals, rabies results in fewer than ten fatalities in the United States annually.

Despite the low death rate, about 60,000 people in the U.S. seek medical treatment for potential rabies exposure each year.