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Rabid Bat Found on Island!! Previously, Rabies was found in Pipistrelle and Silver Bats Pipistrelle and Silver Bats are shy and found in rural wooded areas NEW Statistics = 17% of Brown bats have tested positive for Rabies Brown Bats are found in urban areas -- Mercer Island included! Call us if you have questions or concerns: 206-232-7667 Rabid bat found on Island - Fatal infectious disease detected in Island animal 2004-09-09 by Wendy Giroux Mercer Island Reporter Some Islanders who accidentally came in contact with a rabid bat are not sick but are undergoing the required treatment. They're just one example of the 60 King County residents who have encountered rabid bats so far this year. Of those, 45 are being treated for possible exposure to rabies. Public Health Seattle/King County has examined 24 bats, four of which tested positive for rabies, spokesman James Apa said. The other three rabid bats were found in Kirkland, Issaquah and northern King County. In a typical year, between 5 and 10 percent of the bats tested each year in King County have rabies. This summer, it's up to nearly 17 percent. "We attribute the increase possibly to the increased attention that we've given to the matter," Apa said, noting the recent coverage in local media. The bats that have tested positive recently for the disease have primarily been the big brown bat, but the little brown myotis bat also has tested positive this season. Public health workers cautioned that the public should be cautious of any type of bat, however. If you accidentally touch a live or dead bat, call Public Health to find out about testing and treatment. Bats are the main carrier of the rabies virus in Western Washington. Rabies is a viral disease of the brain and nervous system. Once symptoms begin, it is always fatal. If you find a bat dead or alive inside your house, do not touch it with your bare hands and call Public Health at 206 296-4774. The bat may have touched a family member who was sleeping and should be tested. Live bats should be carefully trapped, either by shutting them into a room or calling pest control. If you find a bat you suspect your dog or cat may have caught, wear thick gloves and put the bat in a box or jar to be tested. Contact your veterinarian and call the Public Health veterinarian at 296-4880. King County regulations require dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated for rabies by four months of age and receive regular boosters afterward. Pets that are exposed must be quarantined if they haven't had all their recent rabies shots, or euthanized if they haven't had shots. While only an estimated 1 percent of all bats in the county have rabies, the ones that do are easier for pets to catch because they're sick. That means an estimated 10 percent or more of the bats humans handle are diseased. Other tips on bats: - Keep screens on your windows and doors to stop bats from chasing an insect into your home. - Teach children not to touch bats. - Only capture a bat if there's a chance a person or animal has come into contact with it. Wear heavy gloves or use a shovel to put the bat in a box. If it's inside, trap it in one room and have pest control help with the capture. King County Journal reporter Dean Radford contributed to this article. Copyright © 2004 Horvitz Newspapers, Inc. For more information on Rabies, visit: http://www.metrokc.gov/health/prevcont/bats.htm