Protecting against rabies Bats carry rabies virus in every U.S. state except Hawaii, and can spread the virus year-round. However, anecdotal case reports suggest that people may not be fully aware that bats pose a rabies risk – and so they may not seek life-saving rabies PEP if they are bitten or scratched by a bat.

What are the chances of getting rabies from a bat?

Bats can have rabies, but it is extremely rare for that to impact humans. The chance of getting rabies from a bat is very small — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are one or two cases a year in the U.S. But bats are the most common source of human rabies in the United States.

Do you need a rabies shot if a bat touches you?

If your pet has had contact with a bat, it's also very important to try to capture the bat, if possible, so that it can be tested for rabies. Dogs and cats that have had contact with a bat should get a rabies booster vaccine right away, even if they are current on their rabies vaccination.

What happens if a bat bites you?

Bats are the most common rabies carriers in the United States. This disease can pass to people when an infected animal's saliva comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, or broken skin. As a result, bat bites and scratches are serious and require emergency care.

Do all bats carry the rabies virus?

Most bats don t have rabies. For example, even among bats submitted for rabies testing because they could be captured, were obviously weak or sick, or had been captured by a cat, only about 6% had rabies. Just looking at a bat, you can t tell if it has rabies.

Mayo Clinic Minute: What you should know about bats and rabies

32 related questions found

Will a bat bite you in your sleep?

Bats do sometimes bite people, and they may even bite while you are sleeping. The bites can be painful because a bat's teeth are small, pointed, and razor-sharp, but if you are asleep when the bite occurs, you may not even know you were bitten.

What animal has rabies the most?

Wild animals accounted for 92.7% of reported cases of rabies in 2018. Bats were the most frequently reported rabid wildlife species (33% of all animal cases during 2018), followed by raccoons (30.3%), skunks (20.3%), and foxes (7.2%).

Why do bats fly at your head?

If a bat flies near or toward your head, it is probably hunting insects that have been attracted by your body heat.

What to do if you wake up with a bat in your room?

If you wake up and find a bat in your room, you may have been exposed without knowing it. They have tiny teeth, so it can be difficult to know if you've been bitten. If possible, try to capture the bat (wearing leather gloves), and then have it tested for rabies and see a doctor.

Can you survive rabies?

Once a rabies infection is established, there's no effective treatment. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease usually causes death.

Is it safe to sleep in a room with a bat?

Finding a live or even a dead bat in your bedroom can be upsetting. It can also present a serious risk to your health because bats can be infected with rabies.

Can you tell if you were bitten by a bat?

If you are awake and conscious, you will likely feel a bat bite because they feel like sharp needle jabs. According to the United States Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people usually know when they have been bitten by a bat. However, a bat bite can be superficial and not easily noticed.

Should I be worried about a bat in my house?

If there's been contact between the bat and people or pets

If a bat is in your house and you have any question about whether the bat has been in contact with people or pets, you will want to have the bat captured and tested. Call animal control or a wildlife conservation agency for assistance.

How long do bats live with rabies?

“Hibernation for the virus is almost like putting it in freeze-frame or putting it into Carbonite,” said George, who is now with the US Department of Defense. As a result, even though the rabies virus normally kills bats in about six days in the lab, infected bats could stay alive through the long, cold winter.

Can bats spread rabies without biting?

A silver-haired bat, the type that transmitted rabies to a woman in Wyoming after apparently biting her while she slept.

What diseases do bats carry in USA?

The two most common diseases associated with bats in the United States are rabies and histoplasmosis.

Why do bats bite humans while sleeping?

That's most likely because bats have very small teeth and produce a bite that doesn't hurt the way a larger animal's would, so it's possible that they might not even wake their victim. They also hardly leave a mark, making it difficult to know you were ever bitten.

What does a bat in your house mean?

This devil/evil spirit association is specific in many myths. Bats are commonly said to indicate that the house they frequent is haunted, and an old German myth relates that if a bat flies into your house, the devil is after you. But redemption is sometimes possible once a bat enters your home.

Does one bat in the house mean more?

One random bat in the house doesn't always mean anything. Most of the people that call us have had at least two or three instances of bats in the house over the last few years though. Multiple bats in your house is a very strong indication of an infestation. Most bat colonies found in houses are maternal colonies.

Why should you never touch a bat?

Rabies is a virus that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. Humans can get rabies after being bitten by an infected animal. ... A bat that is active during the day, found on the ground, and unable to fly is more likely to be rabid. Such bats should never be touched or handled.

What to do if a bat is flying around you?

When a bat is seen, seek to enclose it into as small a portion of the house as possible. If he is in your bedroom, close the bedroom door, and place a towel at the base (bats can crawl under doors).

Are bats scared of humans?

As the only mammal that can fly, bats are unique in the animal world. They are also nocturnal, only coming out at night to feast on primarily insects and fruit. These harmless creatures have an undeserved bad reputation when the truth is that they have much more to fear from humans than the other way around.

What animal Cannot get rabies?

What animals can get rabies? Only mammals can get rabies; birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians do not. In the United States, most cases of rabies occur in wild animals—mainly skunks, raccoons, bats, coyotes, and foxes. In recent years, cats have become the most common domestic animal infected with rabies.

Do squirrels carry rabies?

Small rodents (like squirrels, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, chipmunks, rats, and mice) and lagomorphs (including rabbits and hares) are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to transmit rabies to humans.

Can opossums carry rabies?

Rabies. ... In fact, rabies is extremely rare in opossums, perhaps because they have a much lower body temperature compared to other warm-blooded animals.