Rabies Outbreak Linked to Skunk Scratch Kills Two in Rare US Case

Two people have died after a rare rabies infection was traced back to a skunk scratch in Idaho, health officials have confirmed. One of the victims was an organ transplant patient in Michigan, making the case especially unusual.

Investigators say the donor was scratched by a skunk while holding a kitten. At the time, the risk wasn’t detected. The donor later donated a kidney, unknowingly passing the rabies virus to the recipient. Tests later confirmed the virus in the recipient’s tissue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This case is extremely rare. Since 1978, only four instances of rabies being spread through organ transplants have been recorded in the United States.

Health officials are now closely monitoring three other patients who received cornea transplants from the same donor to watch for any signs of infection.