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Annually, another 55, people in the U. That involves:. If they do come back negative, though, you can stop getting the rabies vaccines. After her bat encounter, Lawson considered her options for a few days. Start by talking to your primary care provider.
You may need to start rabies PEP treatment at your nearest emergency room. By then, it was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. Her second dose of the rabies vaccine was due on Monday, and since the health department was closed, she had to go back to the ER. Overall, Lawson says, this bat incident caused a lot of expense and pain the shots hurt. But Lawson views the experience as an opportunity for education. Of her 15 co-workers, only one realized how dangerous her bat encounter could be.
So Lawson wants to raise awareness about the risks with bat encounters. This includes spreading the word about testing. White being cautious is always safe, I wish this article had also shared more facts.
Bats in Virginia eat insects, and they are valuable in controlling mosquito populations. Some bats can consume up to 3, insects in one night. Owls, hawks, raccoons, skunks and other animals prey on bats. Bats, like any mammals, can carry rabies, but more rabies cases in Virginia are attributed to raccoons, foxes, and feral cats. Seek immediate medical care if you're bitten by any animal, or exposed to an animal suspected of having rabies.
Based on your injuries and the situation in which the exposure happened, you and your doctor can decide whether you should receive treatment to prevent rabies. Even if you aren't sure whether you've been bitten, seek medical attention. For instance, a bat that flies into your room while you're sleeping may bite you without waking you.
If you awake to find a bat in your room, assume you've been bitten. Also, if you find a bat near a person who can't report a bite, such as a small child or a person with a disability, assume that person has been bitten. The rabies virus causes a rabies infection. The virus spreads through the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals can spread the virus by biting another animal or a person.
In rare cases, rabies can be spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or the mucous membranes, such as the mouth or eyes. This could happen if an infected animal licked an open cut on your skin. Any mammal an animal that suckles its young can spread the rabies virus. The animals most likely to spread the rabies virus to people include:. In very rare cases, the virus has been spread to tissue and organ transplant recipients from an infected organ.
Consider the rabies vaccine if you're traveling or often around animals that may have rabies. If you're traveling to a country where rabies is common and you'll be there for an extended period of time, ask your doctor whether you should receive the rabies vaccine.
This includes traveling to remote areas where medical care is difficult to find. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
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