A bat found in the bedroom of N.J. has been tested positive for rabies

A bat found in the bedroom of a Middlesex County home last week has been tested positive for the rabies virus, health officials said.

Animal control officers caught the bat after being summoned to a home in South Plainfield on May 25, the Middlesex County Health Services Bureau said Tuesday in a statement. The mammal was then brought to be tested in a laboratory of the state's Department of Health.

The bat is the fifth rabid animal found in Middlesex County this year and the first in South Plainfield.

Health officials advised the resident of the house where the bat was to see a doctor for post-exposure treatment. All residents are asked to avoid wild animals, to report bites immediately and to ensure that animal vaccinations are up to date.

The rabies virus is found in the saliva of an animal with rabies and is spread by bite or possibly by contamination of an open cut, officials said. In the United States, bats, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats and dogs account for 95% of animals with rabies.

Rabies can be fatal and any bite should be taken seriously, warn officials.

Jeff Goldman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates directly in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com newsletters