Illinois reports its first human case of rabies since the 1950s

An Illinois man who died after a bat bite this month became the first human case of rabies in the state in more than 50 years.

The Lake County resident, who was in his 80s, woke up to a rabies-infected bat on his neck last month, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Tuesday.

The resident declined to seek post-exposure rabies treatment and died after experiencing rabies-like symptoms a month later including neck pain, finger numbness, headache and difficulty controlling his arms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the human case of rabies on Tuesday, marking the first case in Illinois since 1954. A bat colony was later found in the home of the person who died.

“Rabies has the highest mortality rate of any disease,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike in a statement. “However, there is life-saving treatment for individuals who quickly seek care after being exposed to an animal with rabies. If you think you may have been exposed to rabies, immediately seek medical attention and follow the recommendations of health care providers and public health officials.”

Only about one to three cases of human rabies are reported each year in the U.S., according to IDPH. But an estimated 60,000 Americans are exposed to rabies each year.

Rabies, which attacks the central nervous system and causes disease in the brain, is usually fatal without treatment. The viral disease is typically spread from the bite of an infected animal such as from dogs, skunks, raccoons and foxes.

Bats are the most commonly identified species with rabies in Illinois. This year, 30 bats have tested positive for rabies in the state to date, said IDPH. More than 1,000 bats are tested for rabies in Illinois each year and about 3% of them test positive for the disease.