Management of Human-Bat Encounters Animal Bites and Rabies Risk: A Guide for Health Professionals (2024)

FAQs

What is the rabies protocol for bat exposure? ›

Human Rabies Immune-Globulin (HRIG) on day 0, plus a series of Human Rabies Vaccines (HRV) on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 (immune compromised patients should receive a 5th dose on day 28 and subsequent titer check).

PEP consists of thorough wound washing, administration of a course of human rabies vaccine and, when indicated, rabies immunoglobulins (RIG). If a person is bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal, they should immediately and always seek PEP care.

You should avoid touching bats. If you're bitten or scratched by a bat, wash the wound with soap and water and get medical help right away. If bat saliva or brain material gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound, see a healthcare professional urgently.

remove any objects from the bite, such as teeth, hair or dirt. encourage the wound to bleed slightly by gently squeezing it, unless it's already bleeding freely. if the wound is bleeding heavily, put a clean pad or sterile dressing over it and apply pressure. dry the wound and cover it with a clean dressing or plaster.

If rabies cannot be ruled out by laboratory testing, people with a reasonable probability of an exposure may be recommended for rabies postexposure treatment (or for domestic animals, a requirement for a booster vaccination(s) and quarantine or euthanasia).

Rabies PEP consists of wound washing, a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccine given at the time of your first medical visit, and a dose of vaccine given again on days 3, 7, and 14 after the first dose.

Rabies exposure means either a bite or scratch from a bat, certain circ*mstances of direct skin contact with a bat, or a reasonable probability that these types of contact occurred (for example, if a bat is found in close proximity to an unattended child or person with mental impairment, or in a room with a sleeping ...

At first, there's a tingling, prickling, or itching feeling around the bite area. A person also might have flu-like symptoms such as a fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and tiredness. After a few days, neurological symptoms develop, including: irritability or aggressiveness.

How is rabies treated? There's no approved treatment for rabies once you have symptoms. If you've been exposed to rabies (were bitten by or been in contact with an infected animal), contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible. Clean the wound gently but thoroughly with soap and water.

The time between infection and when you get sick ranges from 10 days to 7 years. This time period is called the incubation period. The average incubation period is 3 to 12 weeks.

How rare is it to get rabies from a bat? ›

There are zero to two human deaths per year from bat rabies in the United States. A person living in the U.S. is more likely to catch leprosy or the plague than to contract rabies from a bat. Throughout the world 30,000+ people die from the disease each year – 99% of these deaths come from contact with rabid dogs.

Key facts about bats and rabies

Rabies is contracted from the saliva or brain matter of infected animals. A person has zero chance of getting rabies if not in direct contact with one of these materials. Bats do carry rabies.

Wound Care

You should get medical attention within 24 hours for any bite that breaks the skin: You may need stitches for deeper wounds. You may need to get a tetanus shot. You may need to take antibiotics due to the risk for infection or receive antibiotics through a vein (IV) if the infection has spread.

Dry the wound and cover it with a sterile dressing. Don't use tape or butterfly bandages to close the wound. This could trap harmful bacteria in the wound. Human bites are often treated with antibiotics to prevent infection.

In addition, people can't get rabies from having contact with bat guano (feces), blood, or urine or from touching a bat on its fur. If you think your pet has been bitten by a bat, contact a veterinarian or your health department for assistance immediately and have the bat tested for rabies.

Clearly, a bite, scratch, or mucous membrane contact with a bat should be considered a potential rabies exposure.

Answer: Yes. Rabies is found every year in insect-eating bats in LAC. Because of this, pets, people, and wildlife may be exposed to rabies from contact with a rabid bat. Most bats in nature do not carry rabies (less than 1%), and prefer to stay far from people and pets.

The incubation period in humans is typically between 20 and 90 days, although incubation periods as short as 4 days and longer than 6 years have been documented.