HOUSTON -- A teenage boy from Humble contracted the first human case of rabies in Harris County since 1997, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.

Officials said a teenager contracted the disease after he came into contact with a bat.

The bat entered the boy's room through an open window while he was resting. The bat was captured and later released out of the window.

The Humble Independent School District sent letters home to parents on Wednesday.

"It's pretty scary, I guess, because he was one of my friends and I hang out with him," said Taylor Charnetski, the victim's classmate.

County health officials said that although the boy may have carried the disease for more than four weeks, transmitting it to a fellow student is nearly impossible.

"We don't want folks to panic -- that human-to-human transmission is extraordinarily rare. In fact, there's been no documented case of human to human transmission of rabies," said Herminia Palacio with Harris County Public Health.

The only documented cases of human to human transmission is through organ and cornea donations.

The victim's girlfriend was the only person given preventative shots.

The boy's prognosis was grim because the disease was caught at a late stage.

The Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services is investigating the case. It is also working with appropriate partners to identify individuals who may have been exposed.

The last human case of rabies in the Harris County area occurred in a male in 1997. There were only 48 cases of human rabies reported in the United States between 1990 and August 2005.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It can be spread by any warm-blooded animal. The five wild animals in Texas at high risk of spreading rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes and coyotes.

The agency warned the public to avoid direct contact with any wild animals and to teach children to never handle any animals they're not familiar with. All wounds inflicted by an animal should be washed thoroughly with soap and water for at least five minutes and medical attention should be sought immediately. And all pets should be vaccinated against rabies.

For more information on rabies, visit www.cdc.gov.