Yes. The majority of humans who have died of rabies (also known as hydrophobia) in the United States have died from the bat strain of rabies. Some states like New York, Nebraska, and Massachusetts have changed their protocols in dealing with potential bat exposures. Part of the reason is that bat bites don't leave a mark large enough for most people to notice. So even if you think you haven't been exposed, you may have.

Assume that you or your child was bitten by the bat if any one of the following conditions pertains:

* you awaken to find a bat flying in your room.
* you find a bat in a room with an unattended child whether sleeping or not.
* you find a bat in a room with someone who was mentally unable to assess whether he/she was bitten by a bat.

Take ACTION:
* If you suspect that you, your family, or pet have come into contact with a bat, do not let it out of your house! Don't let it out of your sight as the bat must be captured, without damaging its head, and then tested for rabies.
* Don’t use a tennis racket to stun it! If you are too frightened to take care of it yourself, call your local health department or police and inform them of your situation. They should know someone they can direct you to. If only your pet has come into contact with the bat, don’t handle your pet without wearing proper hand protection. Remember, rabies is carried in the saliva and nerve tissue of its victim. If your pet has bitten the bat or has been bitten, you won’t know where the saliva of that bat might be on your pet. If you must handle your pet, do so with rubber gloves and then only sparingly. Consult your veterinarian as to the proper course of action. The likelihood of your contracting rabies from bat saliva on your pet is indeed remote. However, it is better to take extra precautions now than to have extra regret later.

How to Capture a Lone Bat
Step 1. Watch the bat and wait for him to tire and land. DON'T LEAVE THE ROOM!!! Close doors and cabinets and closets to reduce potential travel areas.

Step 2. Wearing leather gloves, take a wide-mouthed food-storage container and place it over the bat. Then slide the lid between the bat and the wall, trapping the bat inside. Tape down the cover. Be careful if on ladders. It is critical that if the bat is to be tested that the head not be damaged. NO TENNIS RACQUETS!!!

Step 3. Take the bat for testing to a local vet or health department. (We would advise learning the local procedure before having an incident. These events never seem to happen during normal business hours.)

Step 4. (If needed). If everyone is certain there was no exposure, the bat can be released on a tree outdoors. Never release a bat on the ground as it is too hard for them to fly away. Place the bat as high on the tree as you can safely do.

Other professionals you should contact would include your local health department or your state's department of public health.

If you are certain there was no exposure to the bat and you are too afraid to capture it, you can allow the bat to fly out of the house. Just be sure you see the bat actually leave. You must visually observe it leaving!!!!

It is best to wait until dark and then turn down most of the lights in the room where the bat is located. Open a door with direct access to the outside or several outer windows as wide as they can go; close all other doors or access points to the interior of the house. You may want to place a towel or other barrier along the bottom of all doors to prevent the animal from crawling underneath the door and into another room. As dusk approaches, the bat will become active and seek ways to get outside to begin foraging and socializing with other members of the colony. In most cases, it will find its way out through the openings that you have provided and without any other need for intervention.

To avoid similar occurrences in the future, it would be wise to investigate where the bat originated from and determine if you have a colony of bats living somewhere in the structure. Information on doing this can be found in the links below.

See FAQ 1065 (FAQ 1065 )for more information.

Online resources:
Bat Control
Bat rabies