Utah Man, 55, became the first state death from rabies since 1944, according to the family

Gary Giles, 55, died Sunday after a week-long struggle with the disease that began with neck and back pain.
(GoFundMe)

A 55-year-old man from Utah became the first victim of the disease in the country since 1944 after a weeks-long fight with an infection that first presented him with neck and back pain. . Gary Giles, of Maroni, died Sunday after a series of medical examinations and transfers were completed in the intensive care unit of the Intermountain Medical Center.

Giles' widow, Juanita, said the two men frequently let the bats land on their hands and lick their fingers because they did not know they were infected with rabies. She told KSL.com that she had woken up at night to find them walking on the couple's bed.

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"Bats never hurt us, and we always catch them in our hands and release them outside because you hear all the time and how good bats are for the people of the world. Insects and you do not want to hurt them, "she told KSL .com. "The bats licked our fingers, almost as if they could taste the salty of our fingers, but they never bit us."

But on October 19, Giles landed in the emergency room with severe back and neck pain, which was diagnosed as a potentially pulled muscle. According to a page from GoFundMe, her symptoms have evolved into numbness and tingling in her arms, resulting in muscle spasms. He was reportedly transferred to the USI after reacting poorly to treatment. He was finally intubated and sedated, then brain scans revealed that he was having multiple seizures every hour.

According to his obituary, Giles died surrounded by his family. The Utah Department of Health has confirmed a rabies-related death in that state.

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A state epidemiologist warned of the dangers of the presence of bats.

"If you are near a bat, dead or alive, do not touch it, kill it or kill it," said Dallin Peterson at the Salt Lake Tribune. "Immediately call your health care provider or the local public health unit to report possible possible exposure and determine if preventive treatment is necessary."

Rabies is a preventable viral disease in mammals, most often transmitted by the bite of an infected animal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vast majority of cases occur in wild animals such as raccoons, skunks and foxes. The virus affects the central nervous system and may present as fever, headache, weakness or discomfort. The symptoms can then evolve into insomnia, anxiety, confusion, mild or partial paralysis, excitement, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation, difficulty swallowing and fear of water. Death usually occurs a few days after the onset of advanced symptoms.