This is how small a bat can be
(Mirror Daily, United States) Many people find bats disgusting, but there are also some people that find them adorable. After all, they are just tiny mice with wings, making squeaky noises. However, they can also be dangerous. A new case of rabies infection caused by a bat shows so.
A woman in Clermont County has recently been bitten by a bat while she was inside her house. The bite resulted in rabies infestation. As she was aware of the danger, she went to the hospital, and she is stable now. Rabies hasn’t been reported in Clermont County in three years, since 2013. Rabies is a disease that affects the brain and has early symptoms such as discomfort at the place of the bite and fever. The disease advances, and leads to behavior disorders, confusion, and loss of consciousness. It can also be deadly.
Both humans and animals are exposed to rabies. There are anti-rabies vaccines, so you should make sure your pet gets them. Also, there is a treatment for rabies, which is quite effective. However, deaths caused by the virus occur in rare occasions, when the infection is not detected.
For the last two decades, only a few cases of human rabies have been reported in the United States, and the mortality rate is also extremely low (at most two deaths a year).
In order to prevent such incidents from happening, authorities not only advise you to get your pet an anti-rabies vaccine but also to be careful when dusting your house or attic, as bats are small and can hide anywhere. They also inform that if you see a bat during the daytime, it is most likely for it to have rabies. Rob Perry, who is director of environmental health for CCPH, gives more details in his statement:
“Bats that are seen during the day or are unable to fly are more likely to be rabid. (…) if a bat does enter your home and must be caught, protect yourself by wearing thick leather gloves, and try to trap the bat in a large jar or container, to transport.”
Ohio came upon 24 rabies cases last year, but only on animals. Generally, wild animals are carriers of the disease, but most prone to it are bats and raccoons.
Image courtesy of: Wikipedia