Presumptive Abortive Human Rabies—Texas, 2009

Holzmann-Pazgal et al describe the clinical course and laboratory findings of an adolescent girl with encephalitis who had not had rabies vaccination and who had been exposed to bats two months before illness. Antibodies to rabies virus were detected in specimens of the girl's serum and cerebrospinal fluid by indirect fluorescent antibody test. However, the presence of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies was not detected until after she had received single doses of rabies vaccine and human rabies immune globulin. Although the patient required multiple hospitalizations and follow-up visits for recurrent neurologic symptoms, she survived without intensive care. A CDC editorial note is included.