How should potential exposures to rabid bats be evaluated and treated?
Any bat that bites a human should be tested for rabies as soon as possible, and post-exposure treatment should begin immediately unless the bat is confirmed negative. Bat bites are typically felt and detected at the time. Visual examination for bite marks is unreliable. If visible at all, bites may appear only as a single tiny puncture or scratch. Most punctures are a millimeter or less in diameter, and most bat inflicted scratch marks are less than a centimeter long. Extenuating circumstances can make detection difficult. If a lost or sick bat hides in bedding, it could be inadvertently pinched during one’s sleep, bite, and leave without detection. Also, people hauling in firewood or moving outdoor lumber piles may accidentally poke and be bitten by a bat without noticing. These are obviously remote possibilities, though wearing gloves when moving wood piles could provide protection.
Any bat that bites a human should be tested for rabies as soon as possible, and post-exposure treatment should begin immediately unless the bat is confirmed negative. Bat bites are typically felt and detected at the time. Visual examination for bite marks is unreliable. If visible at all, bites may appear only as a single tiny puncture or scratch. Most punctures are a millimeter or less in diameter, and most bat inflicted scratch marks are less than a centimeter long. Extenuating circumstances can make detection difficult. If a lost or sick bat hides in bedding, it could be inadvertently pinched during one’s sleep, bite, and leave without detection. Also, people hauling in firewood or moving outdoor lumber piles may accidentally poke and be bitten by a bat without noticing. These are obviously remote possibilities, though wearing gloves when moving wood piles could provide protection. If a young child or a mentally incapacitated person is found alone with a bat in the same room and the
