Toronto Public Health Seeks Help Following Rabid Bat Discovery
Posted September 14, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
On September 4th an unknown woman brought an injured bat into the Toronto Wildlife Centre and then disappeared. The bat later tested positive for rabies, and now Toronto Public Health is asking for the public’s help in locating the woman.
“We are asking the individual who recently took a bat to the Toronto Wildlife Centre to contact Toronto Public Health immediately,” said Dr. Rosana Pellizzari, Associate Medical Officer of Health. “People can become easily infected with rabies if they are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, and this individual may need to be vaccinated.”
It’s believed the woman was feeding the sick bat with her hands and considering rabies is almost 100 per cent fatal in humans if untreated, officials are eager to speak with her.
The other concern is that where there is one bat infected, there are almost certainly many others, and many other animals also suffering from the disease and posing a very real threat of spreading the illness to humans. A rabies vaccination can prevent serious illness in the event of a bite or scratch, but it must be administered soon after.
Individuals can also become infected if a rabid animal’s saliva comes in contact with open cuts or with the mouth, nose or eyes, making bats particularly dangerous since at this time of year human contact with bats increases as they start to come indoors looking for places to hibernate for the winter.
Toronto Public Health is advising that you never touch a bat with bare hands. If someone has been bitten or scratched by a bat, or suspects they have been, they should:
- Clean and wash the bite or scratch thoroughly with soap and water,
- Seek medical attention immediately, and report the incident to Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 or after
hours at 416-690-2142.
To prevent bats from coming indoors, seal holes in screens and any other openings around your home. Bats can enter holes that are very small. In Ontario, raccoons, foxes, skunks, coyotes and bats are sources of the rabies virus. Cats and dogs can also be infected if they are scratched or bitten by a rabid animal. Ensure your pets are vaccinated against rabies.
How can you tell if a bat has rabies?
You can’t. Only a lab analysis can show it for sure. But there are some clues. Be suspicious if:
- You see one in daylight. Bats aren’t usually active when the sun’s up.
- You see one in an odd place like on your lawn or your bedroom.
- It doesn’t seem able to fly.
- It doesn’t leave when you come near it.
What should you do if you come in contact with a bat?
If you’re bitten or if infectious material (such as saliva) from a bat gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound, wash the affected area thoroughly and get medical advice immediately. Whenever possible, the bat should be captured and sent to a laboratory for rabies testing.
Note that there isn’t always an obvious bite wound.
Can casual contact give me rabies?
No. You can’t get infected just from seeing a bat in an attic, a cave, or at a distance. And you can’t get rabies from being in contact with bat droppings, blood, urine, or from touching a bat’s fur. But you should never be that close to let that happen in the first place.
What should I do if my pet is exposed to a bat?
Contact a veterinarian or your health department for assistance immediately and have the bat tested for rabies. You pet should already have up to date rabies vaccinations.
Sources: Newmarket Public Health and Centers For Disease Control.
