Mercer County Health Dept. Warns Of Bat Activity

Mercer County Health Department has recently had calls about bats found in the home. Bat activity typically increases in August and into the fall. If you have contact with a bat or awaken to a bat in your bedroom it is important for you to capture it and have the bat tested for rabies.

All contact with bats should be avoided. However, if a bat enters your house or work area, it will need to be captured. To capture the bat, try to confine the bat to a room. If you are not able to contain the bat in a room, you can trap the bat in a box and slide cardboard underneath it or capture it in a blanket. Wear leather gloves to handle the bat. Do not touch the bat with your bare hands! Once the bat is captured, you need to call Mercer County Health Department so they can evaluate the exposure. Do not release the bat until you have spoken to the local health department.

 If you had physical contact with a bat, the affected area should be washed thoroughly with soap and water. If possible, the bat should be captured and tested for rabies. MCHD or a veterinarian can assist you with submitting the bat to a laboratory for rabies testing. If the bat tests positive for rabies and your contact could have resulted in transmission of the virus, it will be recommended you receive rabies prophylaxis vaccination. If the bat tests negative for rabies, no further action is required. If the bat cannot be captured, the local health department will evaluate the exposure and determine if rabies prophylaxis is recommended. Please do not release the bat back into the environment. The bat needs to be tested to rule out potential rabies. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact MCHD at 309-582-3759.