Rabies Cases Down for Bats in IL

While once leading state in rabies cases for bats, McHenry County, IL has noticed an 86% decline in cases of rabid bats.   In 2010, McHenry County had 22 of the 117 rabid bat cases in the year.  This year, McHenry County has had only three of the 44 total rabid bat cases for the year (now that bat hibernation season has begun). 

McHenry County celebrated rabies awareness on World Rabies Day on September 28^th.  They recommend “bat-proofing” homes, keeping pets current on rabies vaccinations, and avoiding wild animals.  Contrary to popular believe, one cannot determine whether or not a wild animal has rabies by simply looking at the animal.  Any wild mammal can transmit rabies to other mammals, including humans.    

Interested in teaching your students more about Ecology? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Ecology – Bats: Creatures of the Night.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about Ecology? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://algonquin.patch.com/articles/rabid-bats-in-mchenry-county-down-86

Man Fatally Bit by Vampire Bat

The U.S. has had its first reported death from a vampire bat’s bite on record.  The 19 year old migrant worker from Mexico contracted rabies from the bat after a day of work on a sugarcane plantation in Louisiana.  He sought medical care for symptoms and was initially diagnosed with exertion.  He later was diagnosed with rabies, after a series of misdiagnosis, at a hospital in New Orleans. 

The rabies virus carried by vampire bats is the most commonly passed rabies virus to humans, and has been the leading cause in the US for 20 years.  Rabies causes inflammation of the brain and, if left untreated, is fatal to humans and animals. Vampire bats were previously only found in Latin America, but are migrating North because of climate change.

Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/12/louisiana.vampire.bat.rabies/index.html?iref=allsearch