Rabies Death Is Illinois’ First Human Case In 67 Years

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The first human case of rabies in Illinois in nearly seven decades was a fatal one, public health officials announced Tuesday. Nationwide, 25 human cases of rabies have been reported in the last decade, with only two patients — an 8-year-old California girl and a Texas teenager — surviving.

In mid-August, a Lake County man in his 80s awoke to find a bat on his neck that later tested positive for rabies, according to a joint statement by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Lake County Health Department.

The man declined a recommendation to begin post-exposure rabies treatment at the time.

But earlier this month, he started developing rabies symptoms — neck pain, trouble speaking and controlling his arms, numbness of his fingers and headaches — and died Sept. 20 at Northwestern McHenry Hospital, according to health officials.

He was identified as Thomas P. Krob, 87, of Spring Grove. A celebration of life for Krob is slated for Thursday, according to his obituary.

Wildlife experts found a bat colony in the Krob's house, health officials said.

In 2021 so far, 30 bats have tested positive for rabies in Illinois. More than 1,000 are tested every year due to possible exposures, since lab testing is the only way to tell if a bat has rabies.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike called on anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to rabies to immediately seek medical attention and follow the advice of health care providers.

“Rabies has the highest mortality rate of any disease,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “However, there is life-saving treatment for individuals who quickly seek care after being exposed to an animal with rabies."

Public health officials urged residents to be aware of bats that could be in their homes. While people usually know when they have been bitten by a bat, health officials recommend calling a doctor or a local health department and animal care and control if you find yourself near a bat and are not sure if you have been exposed.

“Sadly, this case underscores the importance of raising public awareness about the risk of rabies exposure in the United States,” Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister said in a statement.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which confirmed the Lake County man's diagnosis Tuesday, about 59,000 people die from rabies every year, mostly children in Africa and Asia.

An estimated 60,000 Americans receive post-exposure vaccinations every year, with one to three few human cases reported in the country every year.

The last reported rabies deaths in the U.S. were in 2018, when a 55-year-old Utah man, a 69-year-old Delaware woman and a 6-year-old Orlando boy died of the disease. Two of those cases involved rabid bats, while the third was related to a raccoon rabies variant.

“Rabies infections in people are rare in the United States," Pfister said. "However, once symptoms begin, rabies is almost always fatal, making it vital that an exposed person receive appropriate treatment to prevent the onset of rabies as soon as possible.”