Bat In Crystal Lake Tests Positive For Rabies

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — The McHenry County Department of Health has confirmed that a bat, which was found in Crystal Lake, has tested positive for rabies.

The McHenry County Department of Health Animal collected the bat after health officials learned there was an exposure to the bat in a household, according to a news release. The MCDH’s communicable disease program contacted the household and recommended starting postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).

In Illinois, bats are the primary carriers of rabies. Rabies is a fatal viral disease that can be transmitted to humans through bites and scratches from an infected animal. The virus attacks the central nervous system and can only be confirmed by postmortem laboratory testing, according to the McHenry County Department of Health news release. .

While exposure to rabies is considered a medical urgency, it is not an immediate emergency. Once exposure is identified by a positive test, the administration of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) should not be delayed. PEP involves a dose of human rabies immunoglobulin and a series of rabies vaccinations administered over a 14-day period to prevent the onset of the disease, according to the news release.

When PEP series is administered correctly, it is virtually 100 percent effective at preventing rabies infections.

Bite and scratch exposures from a bat can be very small and may go unnoticed. Therefore, McHenry County residents who find a bat in their home, encounter it or were in the same room as the bat while sleeping should confine the bat to an enclosed room by closing the door and sealing any gaps at the base with a towel.

If the bat is in a main living area and there has been potential exposure to a person or pet, place an upside-down bucket over the bat, if possible, to contain it. In both situations, residents should immediately contact McHenry County Animal Control at (815) 459-6222 to arrange for the bat's collection, and potential testing following an exposure risk assessment by the MCDH’s Communicable Disease Program.

For rabies testing, it is crucial that the bat be in good condition (i.e., head intact) and either alive or recently deceased. If you have questions or concerns about rabies exposure, please contact the MCDH’s Communicable Disease Program by calling (815) 334-4500.

Bats become more active during the warmer months. During this period, the best way to prevent rabies is to avoid exposure. A bat that is active during the day, found in an unusual location such as inside a home, or unable to fly is potentially rabid. Children should also be educated to avoid handling wild animals.

“Taking a hands-off approach to all wild animals, especially bats, is the best way to reduce the risk of exposure,” said Maryellen Howell, director of MCDH’s Veterinary Public Health Division. “Bats can squeeze through small openings, so bat-proofing your home by replacing loose screens or screens with holes adds an extra layer of protection.”

The MCDH offers the following tips to prevent exposure to rabid bats, both inside and outside the home:

• Ensure that doors, windows, and vents have securely framed screens free of holes, chimneys are capped, and gaps around utility lines are sealed.
• Do not touch, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick, wild animals back to health. Instead, contact MCDH Animal Control for assistance.

To learn more about rabies prevention, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/rabies.