In the US, a man received a kidney transplant from a donor infected with rabies. Both later died

The patient from Michigan had been waiting a long time for a transplant. The surgery itself went well, but five weeks later he developed seizures and confusion.

A week after that, he died. Doctors later found the rabies virus in his tissues.

The source was quickly identified — the organ donor. He had previously been scratched by a skunk but never sought medical care. A few weeks later, the donor also died.

The donor’s relatives did not inform doctors about the scratch when they consented to organ removal.

Corneas from the same donor were transplanted into three other patients. After the virus was discovered, the transplanted tissues were urgently removed.