The CDC quickly determined that both donor and recipient died from the raccoon-type rabies virus.

CNN: CDC: Man died of rabies from kidney transplant

The rabies virus can be found in all parts of the country except for Hawaii.

CNN: Are rabies shots needed for any bat exposure?

In the 1970s, the first vaccines made from weakened rabies virus grown in cell culture became available.

CNN: Four shots enough to ward off rabies

The rabies virus causes brain swelling that is almost always fatal, but the vaccine is 100% effective when given in time.

CNN: Four shots enough to ward off rabies

The vaccine was created by taking a glycoprotein antigen from the rabies virus and inserting it into Vaccinia virus, the same one used for smallpox inoculation.

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They show no signs of rabies but are being treated with five doses of the rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin, which gives the body antibodies to protect itself against the rabies virus.

CNN: CDC: Man died of rabies from kidney transplant

If there is concern about an exposure to rabies, prophylaxis consisting of rabies immune globulin (an injection that contains human antibodies against the rabies virus) and rabies vaccine (four injections over the course of two weeks) is recommended.

CNN: Are rabies shots needed for any bat exposure?

He said doctors in Florida tested the donor for various causes of encephalitis, including West Nile Virus and herpes, but did not test for rabies.

CNN: CDC: Man died of rabies from kidney transplant

When eaten, the virus is taken up in the lymphatic tissue in the throat, and immunity to rabies develops.

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Researchers are trying to determine if the virus will be a "dead end" infection which can spread only from animal to person, like rabies, or will be able to spread from one person to another like HIV after it made the jump from primates.

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