Health Alerts
Four recent bat exposures prompt DuPage County Health Department To
urge precautions to prevent rabies
Four human bat exposures in recent weeks have prompted the DuPage County
Health Department to urge residents to take precautions to lessen exposure
to bats, the most commonly identified rabid animal in the state.
Bat exposures were recently reported to the health department in
Naperville, Wheaton and Roselle. Two exposures were reported in Wheaton
and one each in the other towns. All were reported since Aug. 25.
“These exposures point out the need to remind people that they should take
several precautions to avoid contact with bats,” said Leland Lewis,
Executive Director of the health department. “Of course it is always best
to never handle a bat.”
Lewis added, “If bitten, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and
water and seek medical advice immediately.”
If a bat is found in a home, the residents should contact their local
police for a referral to the local animal control office. If a bat is
found in an unincorporated area, residents may call DuPage County Animal
Control during business hours at (630) 682-7197. During non-business
hours, those residents may call the DuPage County Sheriff’s Department at
the non-emergency number of (630) 682-7256 for a reference to animal
control.
In the four DuPage County reports, a positive exposure was determined in
Naperville. In two exposures, the bats were released and not tested for
rabies. In one exposure the bat escaped.
The three exposures in Wheaton and Roselle occurred when people were
sleeping. The health department has recommended rabies prophylaxis in all
of the exposures.
From 1989 to 1998 the health department had no animals test positive for
rabies. One positive bat was reported in 1999 in Naperville. Two positive
bats were reported in the same Bartlett location in 1999 and 2000. Earlier
this year there were positive bats reported in Lombard and Naperville.
Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system of
humans and other mammals. People get rabies from the bite of an infected
animal or if infectious material, such as saliva, from a rabid animal gets
directly into their eyes, nose, mouth or wound.
The health department offers the following tips to prevent rabies:
-
Never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or
domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own animals, but
leave others alone” is a good principle to teach children.
-
Wash any wound from an animal thoroughly with
soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
-
Have all dead, sick or easily captured bats
tested for rabies if there was any contact with people or pets.
-
Prevent bats from entering living quarters or
occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools or other similar areas where
they might contact people or pets.
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