From the McHenry County Health Department:

Bat found in home tests positive for rabies

The McHenry County Department of Health is announcing that a bat found in a Woodstock home on May 10 tested positive for rabies. 

Upon notification of the positive result, MCDH immediately contacted the family to investigate if there was an exposure risk.

The investigation determined that there was an exposure to the rabid bat and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) was recommended for the household.

In Illinois, bats are the primary carrier of rabies. Rabies is a fatal disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system and can only be confirmed by laboratory testing. 

Rabies is a medical urgency but not an emergency. 

Once exposure to rabies is identified the administration of PEP should not be delayed.

PEP is the treatment provided after a rabies exposure and consists of a dose of human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccine over a 14-day period to prevent rabies infection.

As the weather gets warmer and bats become more active, the best way to avoid rabies is to avoid exposure.

A bat that is active by day, found in a place where bats are not usually seen, such as in the home, or is unable to fly, is potentially rabid. 

Children should also be educated to avoid handling wild animals.

McHenry County residents who find a bat in their home and come into contact with it or were in the same room as the animal while sleeping should contact the MCDH Animal Control and their physician.

Maryellen Howell, Director of MCDH’s Veterinary Public Health Division, advises people to use a shovel or plastic bag to ensure there is no direct contact between themselves and a bat if a bat is found in or around the home.

If a live bat is found inside, contain it in a room by closing the door and placing a towel along the bottom. If a bat is found in a main living area and there has been exposure to a person or pet, place an upside-down bucket over the bat if possible. In both cases, immediately call McHenry County Animal Control at (815) 459-6222. To test bats for rabies, it is important the bat be in good condition (i.e. head is intact) and either alive or recently deceased.

MCDH encourages the following tips to prevent exposure to rabid bats in and outside of the home:

• Make sure doors, windows, and vents have screens that are securely framed and free of holes, chimneys are capped and gaps around utility lines are plugged.

• Do not touch, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.  Do not try to nurse sick, wild animals to health.  Call MCDH Animal Control for assistance.

“People should take a hands-off approach to all wild animals, especially bats, to reduce their risk of exposure,” Howell said. “Bats are able to fit in small places, so bat-proofing the home and replacing loose screens or screens with holes is an extra line of defense to prevent exposure in the home.”

Questions about rabies exposure should be directed to MCDH’s Communicable Disease Program at (815) 334-4500. To learn more about rabies prevention, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/.