Parents in Utah are being advised to take precautions and keep their children away from bats following recent reports of rabies cases in the state. Two bats were diagnosed with the fatal disease in the Salt Lake City area last week. One was found at a local skate park and the other on a residential street. It is believed that bats in contact with humans are more likely to carry the deadly virus, so residents are being urged to avoid all bats and keep their pets and children away from them. Other states, including Colorado, Florida, Ohio, and South Carolina, have also reported cases of rabid bats over the past month, with Florida issuing a two-month alert for the disease in a county of almost 500,000 people.
The discovery of a rabid bat in Draper’s Smith Fields Park Skatepark, near Salt Lake City, on August 26, has raised concerns. Another bat was found with rabies on a residential street in Midvale, also in the Salt Lake City area. On August 25, the National Park Service reported another case of a bat with rabies in Arches National Park, and three bats with the disease were found in the Salt Lake City area in early June. No cases of rabies in humans have been reported in Utah so far, but an average of 15 bats test positive for the virus every year.
The Utah Department of Health has advised parents to inquire about their children’s encounters with bats in parks and to contact the department if there was any contact with the animals. The local police department has also urged individuals who had touched or been touched by a bat at the skate park to seek evaluation for rabies prevention medication. Rabies is considered 100 percent fatal if symptoms appear and are left untreated. It’s crucial to avoid touching or harming bats if encountered.
The discovery of rabid bats is a cause for concern as bats are the primary cause of rabies deaths in humans in the United States. The risk of infection is higher in late August and September when young bats, potentially infected, are learning to forage and may come into contact with people. Any bite from an infected bat can transmit the rabies virus, which is passed through saliva. The bites or scratches left by bats may be too small to see, making it even more concerning as someone may not realize they have been bitten by a rabid bat. Symptoms of rabies appear within one to three months after exposure and rapidly progress to hallucinations, delirium, hydrophobia (fear of water), and ultimately death. However, aggressive treatment regimens, including multiple vaccines, can be effective if started immediately after exposure.
Less than one percent of bats are estimated to be infected with the rabies virus, but those that exhibit unusual behavior or come into contact with humans are up to ten times more likely to carry the disease. In addition to Utah, Seminole County in Florida has also issued a rabies alert after a rabid bat was found near Sunrise Community Park. The alert will be in effect for 60 days. Concerns were also raised in Colorado, where a bat infected with rabies was discovered in the Paonia area. Rabid bats and raccoons were reported in Oconee County, South Carolina, and although no humans were exposed, three cats and two dogs were believed to have had contact with a bat carcass and are now in quarantine. Cincinnati, Ohio has seen 14 reports of people encountering bats, mostly inside their homes.
Rabies is a serious disease that can lead to death, but thanks to prompt treatments and efforts to prevent contact with potentially infected animals, only two to three Americans die from it each year. People who may have been exposed to rabies receive Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), which includes a vaccine and man-made antibody treatment. This helps the immune system fight the infection. Additionally, individuals suspected of exposure receive four doses of a rabies vaccine over two weeks. The vaccine prepares the immune system to combat the real virus in case of infection.
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