KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Although bats usually don’t pose a threat to humans, they are the primary carrier of the rabies virus in western Washington. So far this summer, 40 King County residents have reported exposure to a rabid or possibly rabid bat.
“The advent of cat and dog vaccines dramatically lowered rabies virus transmission in the U.S,” said Dr. Sharon Hopkins, Public Health – Seattle & King County’s veterinarian. “Now our biggest concern for rabies exposure occurs when a person handles a bat on the ground or one that the pet brings in. Any bat seen on the ground, or one that flies in an open window, might have rabies and should not be touched.”
In King County, between 5 -10% of the bats tested each year are found to be rabid. Anyone that comes in contact with a bat will be advised to undergo the month-long rabies treatment, unless the bat is tested and the test comes back negative for rabies. Contact includes touching, handling, being bitten or scratched, or any other kind of skin contact. Bats found indoors in a room where people have been asleep should also be tested.
This summer in King County:
- 40 people have reported contact with a bat
- 19 bats were tested and 3 were positive for rabies
- 29 people are being treated for potential exposure
Typical rabies exposure scenarios:
Hopkins and other Public Health staff have talked with many individuals who touched a bat but were unable to submit the bat for testing, and had to take the shot series. A typical scenario involves a cat out hunting at night that leaves a dead bat on the doorstep, and the owner picks it up before realizing that it is a bat. Or, a person may remove from their pet’s mouth what they think is a leaf but actually turns out to be a bat.
What to do if you find a bat:
- If you find a dead or living bat inside the house call Public Health. It is possible that the bat touched a family member while the person was asleep.
- If you find a dead bat outside, do not touch it with your bare hands.
- If you accidentally touch a dead or living bat, call Public Health for advice on testing and treatment.
- If your pet has a bat in its mouth, wear thick leather gloves to remove it. Put the bat in a box or jar for testing.
Many of the individuals being treated in King County either let the bat go or threw it away, which means the bat was not available for testing. Treatment for rabies exposure costs between $1500 and $2000. When a person has been exposed, rabies testing of the bat is done free of charge at the Public Health laboratory located at Harborview Medical Center.
Tips to avoid bats:
Most bats don’t have rabies, and healthy bats will avoid contact with humans or pets. Bats play an important role in keeping the insect population in check since a bat can eat thousands of insects each night. Enjoy bats, but from a distance, and follow these tips to avoid contact with these flying mammals:
- Screen windows and doors to keep bats from chasing an insect inside your home.
- Never touch or handle a bat with bare hands and teach children to avoid touching bats.
- Only capture the bat if a person or animal has come into contact with it. Wear heavy leather gloves to pick up the bat, or use a shovel to put the bat in a box for later testing. If the bat is in the house, trap it in one room. Pest control operators may assist in capturing a live bat.
- Where possible, safely trap the bat and call Public Health – Seattle & King County at 206-296-4774. If the exposure was to a pet only, consult your pet’s veterinarian and call the Public Health veterinarian at 206-263-8454.
- King County regulations require that dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated for rabies by the age of four months with regular boosters after that. Check with your veterinarian to ensure your pets’ rabies vaccinations are up-to-date.
- If a pet has had contact with a bat or other animal such as a raccoon, contact your veterinarian and Public Health for advice. Rabies testing of the bat may be recommended. Pets that have not been vaccinated for rabies must either be euthanized or undergo a strict six month quarantine unless the bat is tested and proven not to be carrying rabies.
