Bat tests positive for rabies in Pincher Creek area

Silver Haired bat
Larisa Bishop-Boros photo, Wikimedia commons

Toni Lucas

According to a Facebook post from Dewinton Pet Hospital on August 27 "A Silver Hair bat was submitted to a veterinary clinic on August 18, 2014 in Pincher Creek, AB after a 3.5-month-old puppy had captured it. The bat was tested for rabies in the CFIA lab; results confirmed that it was infected.  The owners of the puppy have elected to place their puppy under a six-month quarantine under the supervision of the Public Health Vet, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. The owners are also consulting with the Medical Officer of Health for any human health concerns. In this case, the puppy was too young to start its normal course of rabies vaccinations."

Agriculture and Rural Development's Dr. Jagdish Patel confirmed the rabies diagnosis. "There are bats found everywhere through out the Province, but this was a bat that tested positive for the rabies virus,"
 he said.

"Since April 1, we as the Province have taken over the program of managing rabies admissions and testing,"  Patel explained.  Testing is conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.  "We are in charge of collecting the specimens and submitting them to CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) in Lethbridge."

 Dr. Patel said that there are laboratories in Fairview, Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Airdrie.  "They help us collect the samples, and we forward all those samples to the main lab, that does the testing in Lethbridge."

"This is the second bat that has tested positive in southern Alberta. People should be aware of it.  Bats can carry the rabies virus without any clinical signs."

Rabies is almost always fatal following onset of symptoms.

"This bat was found by a puppy on a farm.  that is how we were made aware of it," Dr. Patel continued.  "The owner of the puppy decided to send the bat for testing."

"Avoid handling bats, if possible."

"Pretty much all mammals can carry the rabies virus. Avoid handling wild animals that you come across."

Patel advises the public to never handle bats with bare hands, or preferably at all.  He recommends gloves if you are ever in a situation where you may have to handle a bat.

"If you do get scratched or bitten by a bat, then you should see your regional medical officer for help.  It is very important that we monitor anybody that has been exposed to a bat in the Province."

Coyotes, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and bats are all known carriers for the virus.  "Having said that, in Alberta so far, we have never had a positive raccoon, fox or coyote tested, at least in my knowledge, for the last 15 years," Patel said.

"If you take any wild mammal, generally they will try to avoid contact with humans.  If you come across a skunk, or a raccoon, or a porcupine, or a fox that doesn't run away, it is behaving abnormally, and it is better to avoid handling or approaching them."

Rabies is transmitted through bite or scratches.  Dr. Patel explained "It goes into the tissues, and the virus multiplies in the tissues and then goes into the nerves, were multiplies more, and that's how it gets transmitted to the brain."

"The message that I would send out to all the public that own pets:  They should talk to their veterinarian and insure that their household pets are current on their rabies vaccination."  If a person has a pet has been bitten by a wild animal, or has been playing with a bat "They should at least talk with their veterinarian". If a person has a pet has been bitten or scratched by a wild animal, including bats  "They should contact their regional medical health officer for a follow up to determine what else to do".

A rabies-infected bat in was discover in Lethbridge in July of this year.  In August 2013 a Lethbridge woman  tested positive for rabies after being bitten by a bat.

In mid-August of this year Alberta Health Services South Zone issued a warning after an increase of bat encounters.

“We have seen an increasing number of human and bat interactions in the last few weeks. That is concerning because of the possibility of rabies,” says Dr. Karin Goodison, South Zone Medical Officer of Health.
While the majority of bats do not carry rabies, it is one of a few animals in Alberta that can transmit the disease to humans and pets. Bats infected with rabies may show no fear of humans and exhibit more aggressive behaviour, including biting, which can lead to human infection.  - Alberta Health Services South Zone

The seriousness of a possible rabies infection cannot be overstated.

Rabies – which attacks the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals, including humans – is almost always fatal following the onset of symptoms. In humans, symptoms initially include fever and feeling unwell with pain or an unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking or burning sensation at the wound site. This may be followed by any of a range of symptoms including hyperactivity, restlessness, delirium, gradual paralysis of muscles, leading to coma and death. It can be several months after a bite before a person develops symptoms of rabies. - Alberta Health Services