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In the United States, bats are the main cause of human rabies. For several years, they have been responsible for the infection of seven out of 10 people who contract the disease, reported Wednesday the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Even though the actual number of rabies cases is very small, the prevalence rate of C disease has announced its intention to raise public awareness that bats carry rabies, said Dr. Emily Pieracci , veterinarian within the agency.
In the United States, one to three cases of human rabies are reported each year. There have been two deaths in 2018 and none to date in 2019.
Worldwide, rabies kills an estimated 59,000 people a year, almost all of which are dog bites. Rabies is 100% preventable if you receive a series of vaccines before the onset of symptoms. The United States has been free from canine rabies virus since 2004 due to extensive vaccination of dogs, but other variants are present in wildlife, including bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons. .
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Fortunately, people and bats do not often come in contact with them. But Dr. Pieracci said that there had been several incidents where a number of people in one place were exposed to a bat and were not aware of the risk involved.
According to Dr. Pieracci, only a small number of bats have rabies, perhaps one percent of the population, although this is not a precise figure. People had rabies in bats when they had no sign of bites.
C.D.C. recommends that if you are bitten or scratched by a bat, you should immediately wash the wound thoroughly and consult a doctor. Every year, about 55,000 people receive a series of rabies emergency vaccines because they think they have been exposed.
Even without a bite, contact with a bat can transmit the disease if its saliva comes in contact with the eyes, mouth, nose or other mucous membranes of the person. Dr. Pieracci stated that anyone in direct contact with a bat should consult a health care provider.
The mere fact of being in a room with a bat does not guarantee the shots. But if a person wakes up and finds a bat in the room, or if he has been in a room with a small child or a disabled person – mentally handicapped or drunk, for example – injections could be considered.
It is also recommended to leave wild animals alone and to vaccinate pets. Cats with rabies acquired from wild animals are now more numerous than dogs with rabies because many dogs have been vaccinated.
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