An Idaho man, killed by rabies, transmitted the disease through organ donation after going undiagnosed by medical professionals.

The CDC released a report Dec. 4, detailing the rare human-to-human rabies transmission. The case is only the fourth recorded since 1978.

In Oct. 2024, the Idaho donor was approached by a skunk in an outbuilding on his rural property. The donor tried to protect a kitten after witnessing the skunk's aggressive behavior towards the young animal. During the encounter, the man sustained a scratch on the shin, but did not think he had been bitten.

According to the CDC, a member of the donor's household started to notice erratic behavior approximately five weeks after the incident. The Idaho man had difficulty swallowing and walking, experienced hallucinations, an

See Full Page