The Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department reports that a bat in Shawano County has tested positive for the rabies virus, which is transmitted from infected mammals to humans (typically via a bite) and is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear.
This is the first confirmed case of rabies in a bat in Shawano County this year. While it is not uncommon for Shawano County to have at least one rabid bat a year, this positive rabies result is a reminder that this fatal disease is present in the community’s wildlife.
Rabies is contracted by exposure to a rabid animal. The exposure is nearly always through a bite, but rabies can be transmitted if a rabid animal scratches a person or it is saliva is exposed to broken skin. If a person has had any physical contact with a bat and the possibility of a bite or scratch cannot be ruled out, rabies preventive treatment may be necessary.
Early symptoms of rabies may include irritability, headache, fever, double vision, and itching or pain at the exposure site. The disease eventually progresses to spasms of the throat and the muscles used for breathing, convulsions, delirium, paralysis and death.
By the time any symptoms may appear, rabies cannot be successfully treated, health department officials said.
Ways to prevent the spread of rabies include:
• Ensure all pet dogs, cats, ferrets and livestock are vaccinated against rabies.
• Stay away from all wild animals, especially those acting abnormally.
• Do not keep exotic or wild animals as pets, regardless of how young or cute they may be.
• Exclude bats from inside living quarters by keeping screens in good repair and closing up any small openings that could allow them to enter.
• Teach children not to approach any unfamiliar animals.
• If a bat is found inside your home, do not release it until you have spoken with the health department, as testing may be necessary.
If you are bitten or scratched, follow these steps:
• Promptly cleanse the bite wound with liberal amounts of soap and water.
• Contact your physician or go to your local emergency room.
• If the offending animal can be safely captured without further injury, hold the animal until the local health department can be consulted.
Visit the rabies page on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website for more information.
