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Bats And Rabies |
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What is rabies and how do people get it? |
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Rabies is an infectious viral
disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals.
People get rabies from the bite of an animal with rabies (a rabid
animal). Any wild mammal, like raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote, or bat can
have rabies and transmit it to people. It is also possible that people
may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva,
gets directly into their eyes, nose, or mouth. Because rabies is a fatal disease, it
is a goal of public health is to prevent human exposure to rabies by
education and to prevent the disease by providing treatment if exposure
occurs. Tens of thousands of people are successfully treated each year
after being bitten by an animal that may have rabies. A few people die
of rabies each year in the
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Why should I learn
about bats and rabies? |
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Most of the recent human rabies
cases have been caused by rabies virus from bats. Awareness of the
facts about bats and rabies can help people protect themselves, their
families, and their pets. This information may also help clean up
misunderstandings about bats. When people think about bats, they
often imagine things that are not true. Bats are not blind. They
are neither rodents nor birds. They will not suck your blood - and most
do not have rabies. Bats play key roles in ecosystems around the globe,
from rain forests to deserts, especially by eating insects, including
agricultural pests. The best protection we can offer these unique
mammals is to learn more about their habits and recognize the value of living
safely with them.
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Rabies can be confirmed only in
the laboratory. However, any bat that is active by day, is found in a
place where bats are not usually seen (for example, in a room in your home or
on the lawn), or is unable to fly is far more likely than others to be
rabid. Such bats are often the most easily approached. Therefore,
it is best never to handle any bat.
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WHAT SHOULD I DO IF
I COME IN CONTACT WITH A BAT? |
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If you are bitten by a bat - or
if infectious material (such as saliva) from a bat gets into your eyes, nose,
mouth, or a wound, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and
get medical advice immediately. Whenever possible, the bat should be
captured and sent to a laboratory for rabies testing (see "How can I
safely capture a bat in my home?"). People usually know when they have been
bitten by a bat. However, because bats have small teeth which may leave
marks that are not easily seen, there are situations in which you should seek
medical advice even in the absence of an obvious bite wound.
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If a bat is present in your home
and you cannot rule out the possibility of exposure, leave the bat alone and
contact an animal-control agency. If professional help is unavailable,
use precautions to capture the bat safely, as described below.
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What you will need: |
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· leather work gloves |
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· small box of coffee can |
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· piece of cardboard |
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· tape |
When the
bat lands, approach it slowly, while wearing the gloves, and place the box or coffee
can over it. Slide the cardboard under the container to trap the bat
inside. Tape the cardboard to the container securely, and punch small
holes in the cardboard, allowing the bat to breathe. Contact your
animal-control authority to make arrangements for rabies testing.
If
you see a bat in your home and you are sure no human or pet exposure has
occurred, confine the bat to a room by closing all doors and windows leading
out of the room except those to the outside. The bat will probably leave
soon. If not, it can be caught, as described, and released outdoors away
from people and pets.
HOW CAN RABIES BE
PREVENTED?
Teach
children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they
appear friendly. "Love your own, leave other animals alone" is
a good principle for children to learn.
Wash any
wound from an animal thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention
immediately.
Have all
dead, sick, or easily captured bats tested for rabies if exposure to people or
pets occurs.
Prevent
bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches,
schools, and other similar areas where they might contact people or pets.
Be a
responsible pet owner by keeping vaccinations current for all dogs, cats, and
ferrets, keeping your cats and ferrets inside and your dog under direct
supervision, calling animal control to remove stray animals from your
neighborhood, and consider having your pets spayed or neutered.
CASE STUDY
In
February 1995, the aunt of a 4-year-old girl was awakened by the sounds of a bat
in the room where the child was sleeping. The child did not wake up until
the bat was captured, killed, and discarded. The girl reported no bite,
and no evidence of a bite wound was found when she was examined. One
month later the child became sick and died of rabies. The dead bat was
recovered from the yard and tested - it had rabies.
This case demonstrates several points:
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This child's infection with rabies was most likely the result of a bat bite. Children sleep heavily and not awaken from the presence of a small bat. A bat bite can be superficial and not easily noticed. |
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The bat was behaving abnormally. Instead of hiding, the bat was making unusual noises and was having difficulty flying. This strange behavior should have led to a strong suspicion of rabies. |
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If the bat had been submitted for rabies testing, a positive test would have led to life-saving anti-rabies treatment. |
Remember,
in situations in which a bat is physically present and you cannot reasonably
rule out having been bitten, safely capture the bat for rabies testing and seek
medical attention immediately.
Yes.
Worldwide, bats are a major predator of night-flying insects, including pests
that cost farmers billions of dollars annually. Throughout the tropics, seed
dispersal and pollination activities by bats are vital to rain forest
survival. In addition, studies of bats have contributed to medical
advances, including the development of navigational aids for the blind.
Unfortunately, many local populations of bats have been destroyed and many
species are now endangered.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE
ABOUT BATS?
Contact you state or local wildlife
conservation agency or Bat Conservation International:
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Bat Conservation International, Inc. |
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE
ABOUT RABIES?
Contact
your state or local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention:
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Rabies Section MS G-33 |
For more
information and interest on bats visit any of the following sites:
Or contact one of the following
departments:
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Shiawassee County Health Department |
Shiawassee County Health Department Environmental Division |
Animal Control & Shelter Mon-Fri
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