The Attack of the Rabid Bat.

As they were getting in to the boat to go fishing, they noticed a bat in a nearby tree - a little odd in the late morning. The bat attacked them in the boat just after they left the shore. After a five-minute battle with fishing poles and oars she finally landed a fatal blow.

During the course of the battle, they had both hit the bat with their hands, and they had the usual small cuts and scratches on their hands so they knew there may be a risk of rabies. They fished the bat out of the water, put him in a small plastic bag, and brought it to the county health department to be tested for rabies. It was positive.

In a case of possible exposure like this, there is no laboratory test or any other way, other than waiting to see if symptoms develop in the person, to find out if the person was actually infected with the rabies virus. Once symptoms develop, rabies is always fatal. There is, however, a series of shots that, if given before symptoms appear, will protect against rabies if a person has been infected. They are almost finished with the series.

I asked the people what the series of shots was like. They had an injection in each hip of immune globulin, which provided an immediate boost in their immunity. This was followed by a series of five vaccine injections spread out over four weeks, given in the arm. They said none of these injections were very painful at all. The side effects were mild - fatigue, mild headache, thirst, and some joint pain - and they weren't even sure these were due to the injections.

There were two articles in the Tribune recently about human exposure to rabid bats in this area and a report of a coyote acting strangely. There have been 5 rabid bats reported in Clearwater and Nez Perce counties since July 3. There was one all of last year.

We received phone calls last week from two different people who had opened their garage door and found a live bat. In both cases, a family cat was in there as well, but no evidence that the cat had contact with the bat, and the bat was gone. In cases like this, the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) recommends assuming that the bat had rabies. If the cat (or dog) has had a current rabies vaccination, it should be re-vaccinated and be kept under the owners control for 45 days. If the cat or dog has not been vaccinated, they recommend immediate euthanasia or strict quarantine for 6 months. Washington and Idaho Public Health Officials follow similar rules.

All these rules can be complicated. Here's what everyone should remember:

1. If you get bitten or have other exposure to a bat or other wild animal, save the animal's body with head undamaged, if possible, for testing, but don't further endanger yourself. (Gloves and a plastic bag, and maybe an oar or two, might come in handy on hikes or fishing trips.)

2. Report all bite wounds and other exposures promptly, whether or not you have the animal, to the county health department, and call your doctor.