The Kentucky Department for Public Health has issued a health alert regarding a human rabies case in Kentucky.
A northern Kentucky resident has died from confirmed rabies infection. Preliminary laboratory testing results indicate that the individual was exposed outside of the United States. The individual received medical treatment in Kentucky and Ohio and was hospitalized for several weeks before their death. The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) is working with the Northern Kentucky Health Department, Ohio Department of Health, City of Cincinnati Health Department, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify people with known contact to the individual and assess for possible exposure to rabies.
Rabies is a rare but serious viral disease that is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Once symptoms begin, rabies is almost always fatal. However, rabies is nearly 100% preventable with timely postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), which includes the administration of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and a series of four or five doses of rabies vaccine.
There has never been a confirmed instance of human-to-human transmission of rabies aside from those attributable to organ and tissue transplantation. However, transmission is theoretically possible through bites or if the saliva or respiratory secretions of the infected individual are in contact with a break in the skin or the eyes, nose or mouth. There is no risk of rabies transmission through casual contact that would occur in community settings.
Public health officials are identifying people who had known direct contact to the individual during their infectious period and assessing for possible exposure to rabies. Those with high-risk contact to the individual’s respiratory secretions are being notified and recommended to receive rabies PEP. Healthcare providers are encouraged to coordinate with public health officials when assessing the need for rabies PEP in individuals not identified through public health assessments.
Most rabies exposures occur from the bite or scratch of an infected animal. In Kentucky, bats and skunks are the primary rabies reservoirs, however any mammal can become infected. To reduce the risk of exposure to rabies virus, it is important to keep pets up-to-date with rabies vaccinations and to avoid contact with wild animals. The last confirmed case of human rabies in Kentucky was reported in 1996.
Healthcare providers who have questions about rabies postexposure prophylaxis may contact the following:
Kentucky Department for Public Health: 888-9REPORT
Northern Kentucky Health Department: (859) 363-2070
