Bat Public Health Concerns
Public Health Concerns Large accumulations of bat droppings may harbor histoplasmosis fungi spores, which when inhaled can result in a lung infection referred to as "histo." No histo cases have been reported in Washington, but precautions should be followed when cleaning or removing large accumulations of bat droppings. Call your local health department for recommendations.
Rabies
People are more often concerned about bats because of rabies, a virus that affects the nervous system of all mammals, including humans.
Rabies is spread when the saliva of an infected animal enters another body through a bite or scratch, or makes contact with their eyes, nose, mouth, or a break in the skin. There is little risk of contracting rabies from a bat as long as you exercise caution. People cannot get rabies from touching bat droppings, blood or urine, or fur.
Five to 10 percent of sick, injured, or dead bats tested by the Washington State Department of Health (WDH) have rabies; however, WDH estimates that probably less than 1 percent of the native wild bat population has rabies.
If a bat does contract rabies, it is unlikely to be a threat to humans as long as simple precautions are followed. Most bats infected with rabies become paralyzed and fall to the ground. (Note: Young bats also fall to the ground when learning to fly. They may also have hit a window and been stunned, or simply be cold and unable to fly.) This means a person may contract rabies from a bat only if they pick up a sick bat, which then bites the person in self-defense. Thus, if you do not handle bats, your odds of contracting rabies are extremely small.
If you think you have been bitten, scratched, or exposed to rabies via a bat:
Once dogs presented the major domestic risk of rabies, but now cats do. Routine rabies vaccination is not as widely practiced with our domestic cats as with dogs. Yet cats often play or hunt in natural areas.
All cats should be vaccinated for rabies, even indoor cats. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians publishes the Compendium of Animal Rabies Control yearly. These guidelines are clear: An unvaccinated animal that comes in contact with a potentially rabid animal (bats in Washington) that cannot be tested should (1) be euthanized; or (2) be held in strict quarantine for six months. Few people are willing to do either.
The message for everyone is: vaccinate your pets! Dogs require vaccination against several diseases. Puppies begin their series of vaccinations at six to eight weeks of age, and annual boosters are necessary to maintain immunity.
Rabies
People are more often concerned about bats because of rabies, a virus that affects the nervous system of all mammals, including humans.
Rabies is spread when the saliva of an infected animal enters another body through a bite or scratch, or makes contact with their eyes, nose, mouth, or a break in the skin. There is little risk of contracting rabies from a bat as long as you exercise caution. People cannot get rabies from touching bat droppings, blood or urine, or fur.
Five to 10 percent of sick, injured, or dead bats tested by the Washington State Department of Health (WDH) have rabies; however, WDH estimates that probably less than 1 percent of the native wild bat population has rabies.
If a bat does contract rabies, it is unlikely to be a threat to humans as long as simple precautions are followed. Most bats infected with rabies become paralyzed and fall to the ground. (Note: Young bats also fall to the ground when learning to fly. They may also have hit a window and been stunned, or simply be cold and unable to fly.) This means a person may contract rabies from a bat only if they pick up a sick bat, which then bites the person in self-defense. Thus, if you do not handle bats, your odds of contracting rabies are extremely small.
If you think you have been bitten, scratched, or exposed to rabies via a bat:
- Wash any wound or other area that came into contact with the bat thoroughly with soap and water.
- Capture or isolate the bat, if you can, without risking further contact. The captured bat will be sent to a laboratory for rabies testing.
- Call your doctor or local health department. An evaluation of the potential of rabies exposure and the need for follow-up treatment will be done. Arrangements to have the bat tested for rabies, if necessary, will also be made.
- A bat is found in a room with a sleeping person.
- A bat is found in a room with an unattended child.
- A bat is found near a child outside.
- A bat is found in a room with a person under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or who has another sensory or mental impairment.
Once dogs presented the major domestic risk of rabies, but now cats do. Routine rabies vaccination is not as widely practiced with our domestic cats as with dogs. Yet cats often play or hunt in natural areas.
All cats should be vaccinated for rabies, even indoor cats. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians publishes the Compendium of Animal Rabies Control yearly. These guidelines are clear: An unvaccinated animal that comes in contact with a potentially rabid animal (bats in Washington) that cannot be tested should (1) be euthanized; or (2) be held in strict quarantine for six months. Few people are willing to do either.
The message for everyone is: vaccinate your pets! Dogs require vaccination against several diseases. Puppies begin their series of vaccinations at six to eight weeks of age, and annual boosters are necessary to maintain immunity.
This information was provided by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Russell Link, and Michael Holmquist
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