Michigan Resident Dies from Rabies After Receiving Organ Transplant, Health Officials Confirm

A Michigan resident has tragically passed away from rabies after receiving a transplanted organ in Ohio, according to health officials.

The incident was reported by the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, which confirmed that the transplant took place in December 2024, and the patient died the following January.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) provided further details, noting that a public health investigation determined the patient contracted rabies through the organ transplant. As the individual was a Michigan resident, the case will be recorded as Michigan’s first human rabies case since 2009, even though the transplant occurred in Ohio.

The organ donor, who was not from Michigan or Ohio, has not been identified, and the specific type of organ transplanted has also not been disclosed. Authorities from both states, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), collaborated in the investigation, and the CDC’s Rabies Laboratory confirmed the diagnosis.

Health officials have emphasized that there is no risk to the general public, and no further cases have been reported. Those who were in close contact with the patient have been assessed for potential exposure, and appropriate post-exposure preventative care has been provided as necessary.

Rabies is a viral disease typically spread to humans through bites or scratches from infected animals, and it is nearly always fatal if medical treatment is not administered before symptoms appear. While human cases of rabies remain rare in the United States, fewer than 10 deaths are reported annually, with over 60,000 Americans receiving medical care for possible rabies exposure each year.

CBS News and People contributed to this report.