An Illinois man has died of rabies, the state's first human case in nearly 70 years.
Public health officials reported the Lake County resident in his 80s awoke in mid-August with a bat on his neck, and the animal tested positive for rabies. Despite being advised he needed treatment, the individual refused, officials said.
The Lake County Health Department confirmed he began exhibiting rabies symptoms about a month later, including neck pain, headaches, difficulties controlling his arms, finger numbness, and difficulty speaking.
He died shortly after the symptoms emerged.
The diagnosis was verified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.
Each year, only one to three human rabies cases are reported in the U.S. The CDC says once clinical symptoms appear, the condition is almost usually fatal.
Officials have found a bat colony in the man's residence.
People who came into contact with the man's secretions received rabies treatment as needed.
After exposure, vaccination can be given, and the CDC estimates that 30,000 to 60,000 persons in the U.S. receive treatment each year.
"Rabies has the highest mortality rate of any disease," Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a news release. "However, there is life-saving treatment for individuals who quickly seek care after being exposed to an animal with rabies."
According to officials, the last human case of rabies in Illinois occurred in 1954.
Bats are the most prevalent rabies-infected species in Illinois, officials said. People usually know if they've been bitten by bats, but because bats' teeth are so little, bite marks might be difficult to spot.
Officials advised anyone who is in close vicinity to a bat not to release it so that it can be captured for testing. In Illinois, about 3% of bats tested for rabies proved positive for the disease.
The majority of human rabies deaths in the U.S. occur after exposure to bats, but any mammal can contract the disease. Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are also vulnerable to rabies, the CDC says.
Data from the World Health Organization shows Asia and Africa are the regions where rabies kills the most people, and dogs are the primary source of transmission to humans.
