Mountains Community Health Urges Residents to Take Possible Bat Exposures Seriously
Lake Arrowhead, CA — Mountains Community Health is reminding residents to use caution around bats and seek prompt medical guidance following any possible exposure.
Bat-related visits occur every year, but the hospital is currently evaluating more patients than usual for possible exposures. Bat encounters are more common during warmer months, when bats are more active.
The primary health concern following contact with a bat is rabies, a rare but serious viral disease. Rabies can spread through the saliva of an infected animal, most often through a bite or scratch. Because bat bites and scratches can be very small, they may be difficult to see or leave no obvious mark.
Rabies is preventable when treatment is provided before symptoms develop. Once symptoms begin, however, the disease is nearly always fatal. Early symptoms may include fever, headache, weakness or unusual sensations near the site of a bite, followed by more serious neurological symptoms. Symptoms usually do not appear immediately and may take weeks or months to develop.
When a Bat Encounter May Require Medical Guidance
Contact a healthcare provider or local public health agency promptly if:
- You were bitten or scratched by a bat.
- A bat touched your bare skin, and you cannot rule out a bite or scratch.
- You woke up and found a bat in the room.
- A bat was found in a room with a sleeping child or someone unable to reliably report whether contact occurred.
- You handled a bat and cannot rule out direct contact.
Simply seeing a bat outdoors or being near one does not, by itself, constitute exposure.
If exposure may have occurred, a healthcare provider or public health professional can determine whether rabies post-exposure treatment is recommended. For people who have not previously been vaccinated, treatment generally includes wound care, rabies immune globulin and a four-dose vaccine series.
“Mountains Community Health is here for our community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you believe you or a loved one may have been exposed to a bat, please do not wait to seek medical guidance. Our emergency care team is ready to evaluate possible exposures, answer questions and help ensure you receive the appropriate care,” said Julie Davis, Director of Acute Care Nursing.
If a bat is found in the home, avoid touching it with bare hands and keep children and pets away. When there is uncertainty about possible contact, seek medical or public health guidance promptly.
