Massachusetts Health Officials Announce First Case Of Human Rabies In 75 Years
An elderly Barnstable County man has been diagnosed with the nearly always fatal viral infection, rabies, according to a Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) press release Friday.
This is the first case of human rabies in the state since 1935.
Health officials believe the man in his 60s was bitten by a bat and didn’t even know it. According to Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach, bats were found in his residence.
A NECN.com report Friday notes, Mass. Public Health Veterinarian, Dr. Catherine Brown said it’s easy for people to be bitten by a bat and not know it. “Actually, the teeth are tiny, the space between them is two millimeters and the length of the teeth is even shorter than that, so the theory is you could be exposed in your sleep without being aware of it,” she said.
The man is reportably in critical condition and his prognosis is not good.
Rabies is an acute viral infection that is transmitted to humans or other mammals usually through the saliva from a bite of an infected animal. It is also rarely contracted through breaks in the skin or contact with mucous membranes.
According to the Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, all mammals are susceptible to rabies. Raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, dogs, coyotes and cats are the likely suspects. Other animals like otters and ferrets are also high risk. Mammals like rabbits, squirrels, rodents and opossums are rarely infected.
Animals with rabies can appear very aggressive, attacking for no reason. Some may act very tame. They may look like they are foaming at the mouth or drooling because they cannot swallow their saliva. Sometimes the animal may stagger (this can also be seen in distemper). Not long after this point they will die. Most animals can transmit rabies days before showing symptoms.
Initially, like in many diseases, the symptoms are non-specific; fever, headache and malaise. This may last several days. At the site of the bite there may be some pain and discomfort. Symptoms then progress to more severe: confusion, delirium, abnormal behavior and hallucinations.
MA Director of Epidemiology and Immunization, Dr Larry Madoff said in the news release, “If somebody goes to a hospital or seeks health care attention at the time of exposure to a rabid animal, before they develop symptoms of rabies that preventive treatment…is almost 100 percent effective.”
However, if someone doesn’t get rabies prophylaxis and presents the symptoms listed above, Madoff notes, “it’s almost the reverse– almost nobody survives at that point.”
For more information on rabies medical treatment, see the CDC Rabies website
For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
Looking for a job in health care? Check here to see what’s available