What you need to know to protect yourself, your family and your pets – Public Health Insider

In early June, an eastern King County resident and an unvaccinated puppy contracted rabies after potentially coming into contact with bats in the bush near their home. The bat was collected and sent to the Washington State Public Health Laboratory, where it tested positive for rabies. In these situations, Public Health makes recommendations for potentially infected humans and animals.

This is the first laboratory-confirmed case of a rabies bat in King County in 2023. In 2022, Public Health helped test 43 bats that had contact with humans for rabies, of which five tested positive for rabies.

As bats wake from hibernation when the weather warms, there may be more interaction between humans and bats than at other times of the year. Bats can be infected with rabies, and rabies can be spread to humans through skin-to-skin contact with bats or bat saliva.

What to do in case of contact with bats

• wash off the area immediately Thoroughly wash the body that came in contact with the vat with soap and water.
• call your healthcare provider. If exposed to rabies, an injection of immune globulin and a series of rabies vaccinations should be given as soon as possible to prevent infection and death.
• Please report this interaction to Public Health: 206-296-4774.

If you think you have come into contact with a bat, safely capture it. Capturing it means that it can be tested for rabies and people who may have been infected can get the treatment they need. If the bat is crushed, the inspection may not be possible. “How do I catch bats?” you ask. Good news – we made a how-to video. Learn more about how to safely catch bats and get tested for rabies here. here.

If you find a bat, don’t touch it without proper protection. If your bare skin comes in contact with bats or their saliva, or if you wake up to a bat in your room, you are at risk of contracting rabies. Teach your children to avoid contact with bats and wildlife, and keep pets away from bats. Discuss with your family the importance of respecting wildlife from afar.

Pets are also at risk of contracting rabies from bats

Get a rabies vaccination in case your pet is exposed to rabies. Washington state requires all dogs, cats and ferrets to be up to date with the rabies vaccine. Check with your veterinarian to see if your furry family member needs to renew their rabies vaccine.

If you suspect your pet has had contact with bats, contact your veterinarian immediately, even if your pet has the latest vaccinations. A booster shot may be required by your veterinarian for additional protection.

What is rabies?

Rabies is a preventable viral disease that infects the brain and spinal cord. The rabies virus is contained in the saliva of infected animals and is usually spread through bites and scratches. If a person who may have had rabies does not receive proper treatment and medical care, the virus is almost always fatal.

bats and rabies

Each year, there are 80 to 140 reports of people being exposed to potentially rabid bats in King County. Bats are the only known carriers of rabies in Washington State.

Most bats do not carry rabies. Although the exact number is unknown, it is estimated that less than 1% of bats are infected with rabies. Unfortunately, you can’t tell if a bat has rabies by looking at it. The only way to tell if a bat is infected with rabies is to test the brain tissue of a dead bat (live bats must be humanely euthanized before being tested for rabies). Therefore, we assume that all bats may be infected with rabies and should never be touched.

Important information about bats

With all this information on rabies, don’t hold a negative opinion of bats. More than 15 species of bats live in Washington State. They feed heavily on night-flying insects such as mosquitoes, termites and agricultural pests, thus reducing mosquito-related diseases and the need for pesticides in our communities. In fact, some people try to attract bats to their property to reduce insect populations. Find out below how to build a bat hutch in your garden. this resource.

The original publication date was June 13, 2023.