Eight bats caught at various locations across Utah have tested positive for rabies, officials confirmed Thursday.
The Utah Public Health Laboratory, located in Taylorsville, has identified the cases out of dozens of bats submitted for testing since January, one of which was confirmed late Wednesday. And although that number is not abnormal, a spokesman for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said it serves as a reminder for Utahs to protect themselves, their pets and livestock against the potentially fatal virus.
“When a rabid animal or a bat is discovered, it needs to be treated seriously and cautiously,” agency spokesman Larry Lewis said.
Rabies-infected bats were found in Sanpete, Davis, Salt Lake, Cache and Utah counties, said state epidemiologist Dallin Peterson. Bats are the most common animal to test positive for rabies in the state, he said, and the last animal other than a bat confirmed with the virus was a skunk, in 2014.
Most commonly contracted by humans through the bite of a rabid animal, the rabies virus attacks the central nervous system, causing brain damage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rabies is almost always fatal after symptoms appear.
The last human case of rabies in Utah was an out-of-state resident treated for the virus in 2015 at a Utah hospital, Peterson said. The patient died shortly after showing symptoms, which include abnormal aggression, unprovoked attacks, foaming at the mouth, staggering and even paralysis.
Between 15 and 25 bats test positive for rabies yearly in Utah, state data show, and the animals are typically submitted to the state health lab after exposure to pets or humans.
Bats infected with rabies may fly during the day or be seen resting on the ground, but often show no signs of the virus.
Lewis advised anyone discovering a bat suspected of having rabies to contact the state health lab or animal-control officers as soon as possible. Concerned pet owners should contact their local veterinarian immediately so the pet can be examined and receive any needed treatment as soon as possible.
If a person or pet is bitten by a rabid animal, Lewis said the wound should be cleaned immediately with soap and water.
In addition to bites from an infected animal, assistant state veterinarian Chelsea Crawford said rabies can be contracted by exposure to saliva. She said domestic animals, particularly cats, are susceptible to exposure if they catch and play with infected bats or animals.
“The best thing pet owners can do is to keep their pet‘s rabies vaccinations up to date,” Peterson said, who works with the Utah Department of Health.
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