Three Greenwood Residents Exposed To Rabies By Bat

Greenwood, SC—The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control says three people in Greenwood County were possibly exposed to rabies. They are now under the care of a physician after the bat tested positive for the disease.

DHEC Bureau of Environmental Health’s Sue Fergusuon says, “The three adults were potentially exposed while the bat was inside their house in Hodges. People usually know when they have been bitten by a bat. However, bats have small teeth that may leave marks not easily seen, and some situations require that you seek medical advice even in the absence of an obvious bite wound. For example, if you awaken and find a bat in your room or if you see a bat in the room of an unattended child, or near a mentally impaired or intoxicated person, seek medical advice and have the bat tested.”

Most of the recent human rabies cases in the U.S. have been caused by rabies virus from bats, that’s according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ferguson said once the rabies virus reaches the brain, the disease is fatal to humans and animals, so the individuals are receiving preventive inoculations. According to Ferguson, anyone bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal must undergo immediate measures to stop the virus from reaching the brain.

Ferguson said, “To reduce the risk of getting rabies, it is also recommended that people avoid wild animals acting tame and tame animals acting wild. About 400 South Carolinians must undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year, with most exposures from being bitten or scratched by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. Wild animals carry the disease most often, but domestic pets can contract rabies as well. Therefore, to protect both the pets and their owners, we strongly encourage residents to make sure their pets are regularly vaccinated against the disease. State law requires that all pets be vaccinated against rabies. If you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite, scratch or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water. Then be sure to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC.“

DHEC says this is the 5th confirmed rabid animal in Greenwood County this year. The others were raccoons. Last year, there were nine animals confirmed in the county (five raccoons and four skunks). In 2008, there were 166 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in South Carolina. So far this year, there have been 96 confirmed cases in animals in the state.

For more information about rabies, visit DHEC’s website or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website about rabies.