Social Media Helped in Probe of Md. Rabies Death

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Public health investigators say they used Facebook and other social media to find people potentially exposed to the rabies virus after a Maryland man died from the disease last year in a rare case of transmission through a transplanted organ.

Social media played an invaluable role in the investigation, the investigators said in an article detailing their work. But investigators must use such tools responsibly to avoid violating patient privacy and confidentiality, lead author Ryan M. Wallace of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

Originally Published at CBS DC

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