Rabies found in O.C. bats

March 19th, 2010, 7:59 am · 12 Comments · posted by Pat Brennan, green living, environment editor

Three bats have tested positive for rabies in recent months, Orange County Health officials say, and they’re urging residents to avoid touching bats and other wild animals.

Two of the bats were found in mid-February, one in March, in Newport Beach, San Clemente and Irvine, though the Orange County Health Care Agency says residents throughout the county should take precautions.

While human infection with rabies is rare — the two most recent Orange County cases were reported in 1957 and 1923 — the disease sometimes turns up in bat populations.

Bats seen in the wild should be left alone, the agency says — even dead bats. Anyone scratched or bitten should see a doctor immediately. Dogs and cats should receive rabies vaccinations, and the agency advises against sleeping with open, unscreened windows or doors.

If a bat turns up in the house, try to close it into a room by itself and call OC Animal Care at 714-935-6848, or your local animal control agency;  officers will capture the bat for testing.

As the weather warms, it’s also a good idea to check screens on doors and windows to make sure they are secure against bats, as well as mosquitoes, which can transmit West Nile virus.

Use caulking, netting or mesh to close even small holes larger than 3/8 of an inch.

Orange County is home to a variety of bat species, many that appear to be suffering population declines. Biologist Stephanie Remington, an Orange County bat researcher, says the mere presence of bats in any part of the county does not mean they pose a threat; and positive rabies tests in bats do not mean the risk of rabies has increased.

Post your questions about bats in the comment section of this blog; Remington says she will answer the questions, and we will post the answers here.