Holy Bat Signal: County Department of Public Health Issues Rabid Bat Alert

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued an advisory, relating to an increase in the number of rabid bats recovered by county officials.

In a statement released Monday, health officials reported 45 rabid bats have been found within county limits, as compared 38 rabid bats found last year.

Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the county’s Director of Public Health, has yet to determine a reason for the increase.

“Thankfully, we have very effective post-exposure treatment and vaccine, which means there has not been a locally-acquired case of human rabies in Los Angeles County in over 50 years. Exposure to rabies is not contagious; people cannot transmit rabies to other people unless they themselves are sick with rabies,” said Dr. Fielding.

This really is a precautionary measure: Rabid bat discoveries in general are rare – on average, there are usually only 10 positive rabid bats discovered per year; most bats don’t carry rabies and play an important environmental role by feeding on insects and controlling insect populations. Dr. Fielding is encouraging anyone who has seen or come in contact with a bat to seek immediate medical attention.

Tips to help reduce your risk of rabies:

•  Make sure your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date. Unvaccinated dogs and cats exposed to rabid bats may need to be euthanized or undergo a six month quarantine, at the owners expense

•  If you think you’ve been bitten by a bat or other wild animal, immediately wash the bite area with soap and water and contact your doctor or healthcare provider to determine if you need treatment. If possible, safely contain the animal and contact the local animal control agency to arrange for rabies observation and quarantine of the animal for rabies testing

•  Bats found inside a home may have had access to pets or areas where people were sleeping, do not release it; if possible put a small box or container over it and contact your local animal control agency immediately. For more information about bat exclusions, visit http://www.batcon.org/index.php/bats-a-people/bats-in- buildings.html.