Subject: Re: bats and rabies
Date: Sep 25 18:34:46 1997
From: Dean Wampler - dean at amc.com


BirdAHikes at aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-09-25 15:27:18 EDT, you write:
>
> << I think it would be extremely prudent to stay away from roosting
> bats and also to never touch a wild bat. Rabies is a very unpleasant way
> to die. >>
>
> All mammals can contract rabies; however, even the less than a half of
> one percent of bats that do, normally bite only in self-defense and pose
> little threat to people who do not handle them.
>
> Maia Kelly
> Selah, WA

I think the original post was intended to point out that there have
been a few recent cases nationally where it "appears" that the victim
was never bitten, but may have actually contracted rabies through air
transmission (I can't recall the technical term; "social contact"?).

Yes, it has been the conventional wisdom that the only serious risk
occurs if you are actually bitten, but these few cases have caused
government health agencies (including the Centers for Disease Control,
I believe) to recommend avoiding "social contact", just to be prudent.
They are trying not to stir up old prejudices against bats, however.

Dean dean at amc.com