Health Department

​Bats play key roles in ecosystems but also can carry diseases, including rabies

August 29, 2023

CINCINNATI, OH – Rabies is a fatal – but preventable – viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. All the positive cases for rabies in Cincinnati have been found in bats, but other wild animals such as skunks, raccoons and foxes can carry the rabies virus.

The Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) has received several recent calls from citizens regarding what precautions to take after being in contact with a bat. While the number is low, it is important to be aware of the dangers and what steps to take in case of suspected exposure.

From 2018-2022, Ohio reported 210 cases of confirmed rabies in animals, 184 of which were bats. Hamilton County reported 11 cases of rabies during the same period, all of which were from bats. Of those 11 rabies infected bats, seven were within Cincinnati.

“It is important to stress that human rabies in the United States is extremely rare, with only one to three cases reported each year,” said Grant Mussman, M.D., MHSA, Cincinnati Health Department Commissioner. “However, once the rabies symptoms appear, the mortality rate is very high at more than 99%. Therefore, it is critical to seek medical attention after a potential rabies exposure.”

Rabies is most often spread to people and their pets when they are bitten by an animal that is infected with rabies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Bats are the leading cause of rabies deaths in people in the United States. Rabid bats have been found in all 49 continental states. Only Hawaii is rabies-free. The good news is that most bats don’t have rabies. But you can’t tell if a bat has rabies just by looking at it. Rabies can only be confirmed in a laboratory. Therefore, the CDC recommends that if people find a bat that they contact their local public health department while they have the bat safely contained in order to rule out 100% the risk of rabies.

“Any bat that is active during the day or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen – like in your home or on your lawn – might be rabid. A bat that is unable to fly and is easily approached could be sick.”

The CDC lists the following facts regarding bats and rabies:

• Bats are one of the most commonly reported rabid animals in the United States.
• Bats are the leading cause of rabies deaths in people in the United States.
• If you find a bat in your home, try to capture it for testing. By testing the bat for rabies, you can find out if you need to receive Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
• Bat bites can be very small. If you’ve been in contact with a bat – even if you aren’t sure you’ve been bitten or scratched – talk to a healthcare or public health professional about your risk and whether or not you need to receive PEP.
• PEP for rabies consists of one dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), which must be given in the ER and provides antibodies to fight rabies infection. The treatment also includes four doses of the rabies vaccine with the first dose administered on the day the exposure occurs, and subsequent doses on day three, seven and 14 after the exposure date. This treatment is only used to prevent a person who has been exposed to rabies from developing rabies.

Between 2018 and 2022, about 2,320 animal bites were reported to CHD, including 513 in 2022. These bite events included dogs, cats, bats, rodents, and livestock, such as goats, cows and horses. Each animal bite reported to CHD is considered for its potential exposure to rabies.

Out of all the exposures reported in 2022, an estimated 11 individuals received PEP for rabies. PEP is recommended when the risk of developing rabies cannot be ruled out, such as when an animal was unavailable to be quarantined or tested. PEP can also be advised after bat encounters when the bat is not available for testing.

For more information about bats and rabies, visit the CHD website, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) website or the CDC website.

People are encouraged to call CHD at 513-352-2922 if they have been in contact with a bat or find one in their house.