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For Immediate Release: Friday, August 12th, 2005
Boulder County residents reminded not to handle bats due
to rabies threat
Contact: Joe Malinowski, Consumer Protection Program Coordinator,
303-441-1197
Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) is warning residents not to handle
bats after nine local bats tested positive for rabies and five people were
treated for exposure this summer.
The percentage of bats testing positive for rabies in Colorado this year
is nearly 10 percent higher than previous years. Bats have been the primary
rabies host in Colorado for the past 20 years, with an average of 15 percent
of bats testing positive for rabies annually. However, as of August this
year, that figure has risen to 23 percent. (It is important to note that
this percentage is not representative of all bats, as it reflects only bats
found by people and submitted for testing.)
Rabies is a serious health concern because it is always fatal unless
treated before any symptoms appear.
Humans are most commonly exposed when they pick a bat off the ground, try
to remove a bat from their house or take a bat from a family pet. Several of
the bats confirmed positive for rabies in Boulder County had exposure to
pets. Because the pets were not vaccinated for rabies, they had to be
euthanized or are being held in an approved quarantine site for six months
-- which could incur costs more than $1,000. A proper rabies vaccination,
costing as little as $20, can save pets from being required to undergo
euthanasia or quarantine if exposed to rabies.
The best way to prevent exposure to rabies is to avoid picking up or
handling bats and to keep pets vaccinated. Vaccinating pets protects them
from exposure to rabies -- including exposures you may not be aware of, such
as a cat catching and eating a bat.
Anytime a bat appears to be acting abnormally, there is a strong
possibility it is sick. Because bats are active mostly at night, seeing one
during the day is a good indication that something is wrong. Bats hide in
trees, caves and attics, or under rocks, roofs and siding. Finding a bat
hanging under the eaves of a house, under a porch overhang, hidden behind
shutters or gutters or in a tree is normal. However, if you see one in the
house or on the ground, please be cautious.
Any bat that is found outdoors should be left alone. If a bat is found
inside a house, the following actions should be taken:
- If you are absolutely certain no pets or people were bitten or had
contact with the bat, confine the bat to a room and open an outside window
or door to let it escape.
- If there is any possibility that a person or pet may have had contact
with the bat -- such as waking up to find a bat in the room -- the bat
should be carefully captured for testing. Wait until the bat lands, place
a coffee can or box over it, slide a piece of cardboard underneath it, and
tape it down securely. Bats can escape through very small openings.
- If a person or pet has been bitten or has had contact with the bat, or
you encounter an abnormal acting or obviously injured bat, contact the
local animal control agency or Boulder County Public Health to arrange for
testing of the bat. Boulder County Public Health can be reached at
303-441-1564. Also, if someone has been bitten or believes a bat has
bitten him, that individual should immediately contact a physician.
For more information on rabies and how to prevent exposure:
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