Organ Recipient Succumbs to Rabies After Fatal Transplant Complication
A Michigan grandfather’s hope for a life-saving kidney transplant tragically turned fatal when he contracted rabies from the donated organ, dying just days after the procedure. Barney Kurowicki, a retired postal worker and farmer from Tecumseh, developed the deadly disease in January 2025, only weeks after undergoing the surgery.
Chain of Events Leads to Fatal Rabies Transmission
The sequence of events began hundreds of miles away in rural Idaho. The organ donor, James Martin, 59, was reportedly scratched by a skunk while protecting a rescue kitten in the fall of 2024. Martin subsequently fell ill and slipped into a coma. However, medical professionals were unable to pinpoint the cause of his sickness, and he ultimately passed away.
Kurowicki had been undergoing dialysis for over two years while awaiting a transplant. He was added to the national transplant waiting list in late 2024 and received a donor kidney within days. The transplant surgery was performed at the University of Toledo Medical Center in Ohio.
Rabies Confirmed as Cause of Death
Shortly after the transplant, Kurowicki began experiencing complications that were initially attributed to cardiac issues. Subsequent tests, however, revealed he had contracted rabies through the donated kidney.
Kim Martin, the donor’s wife, recalled her husband downplaying the skunk encounter. “He’s like, ‘I’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch. I’ll just put, you know, Neosporin on it, and I’ll be fine after I get it cleaned,'” she told Scripps News. Weeks later, Martin’s health deteriorated significantly. His wife described finding him appearing to speak to someone who wasn’t there before he lost consciousness and fell into a coma. His family initially believed his pre-existing health problems may have contributed to the medical emergency.
Because rabies was not suspected in Martin’s death, his organs and tissues proceeded to the transplant system after standard disease screening for conditions like HIV and hepatitis. His kidney was then transplanted into Kurowicki. Other donated tissues, including corneas, were distributed to recipients and medical programs in several states.
Urgent Public Health Response Initiated
Following the transplant, Kurowicki initially appeared to be recovering, but alarming symptoms soon emerged. According to an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Kurowicki developed tremors, leg weakness, confusion, and urinary problems. As his condition worsened, doctors observed another characteristic symptom of rabies: hydrophobia, or an intense fear of water.
“Your throat swells up a little bit, so it’s actually painful to drink and swallow,” explained CDC rabies expert Ryan Wallace to Scripps News. “But it’s more of a neurologic effect, and so people are truly afraid of water.”
Medical staff contacted the CDC via a specialized rabies consultation hotline. Initial investigations explored whether Kurowicki himself had been exposed to wild animals. Ultimately, testing confirmed that the rabies had been transmitted via the donated kidney.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms manifest. Kurowicki died just days after the disease was identified. The discovery prompted an urgent, multi-state public health response to identify and alert others potentially exposed through Martin’s donated tissues.
Cornea Recipients Treated, Other Transplants Halted
Three patients who had received cornea grafts from Martin’s donated tissue were advised to undergo treatment and have the grafts removed. Another planned transplant was halted before it could occur. All of the cornea recipients ultimately survived.
Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho state epidemiologist, expressed pride in the public health response. “Unfortunately, the gentleman who passed away, the initial recipient, did not survive, but the fact that we were able to jump into action and get these other folks protected just makes me really proud,” she told Scripps News.
Bat Strain Identified; Rare Event Emphasized
Investigators later determined that the rabies strain involved was associated with silver-haired bats, not directly with skunks. The prevailing theory is that the skunk that scratched Martin may have contracted rabies from consuming a rabid bat.
The CDC stressed that this case is exceptionally rare, noting that only three previous instances of rabies transmission through organ transplantation had been documented in the United States since 1978 prior to this event. “This is a very rare event,” stated David McCormick, a medical officer in the CDC’s Office of Blood, Organ and Other Tissue Safety. “Organ transplantation in the United States is very safe.”
McCormick also highlighted the complexities of routine rabies testing, which requires specialized centers. In response to this incident, federal officials have proposed enhancements to donor screening, including more detailed inquiries about potential rabies exposure and clearer protocols for involving the CDC in relevant cases.
Lawsuit Filed Amidst Tragedy
Kurowicki’s family has since filed a lawsuit against physicians, transplant organizations, and healthcare providers involved in the transplant process, alleging negligence in the donor organ’s vetting. The University of Toledo Medical Center issued a statement asserting that a review found “all established safety protocols and best practices were properly followed.”
For Kim Martin, the unfolding tragedy remains difficult to process. Learning that another man had died after receiving one of her husband’s donated organs left her devastated. “My jaw just dropped,” she said. “I would just apologize. We didn’t do this on purpose. We didn’t know.””
