Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
From these figures, it's easy to see that we hardly need to live in terror of rabid bats. Further, having
lots of bats around (excluding inside our living quarters) doesn't appear to increase the chances of ac-
quiring rabies by more than the most minuscule degree. Why? Because hardly any of the cases of bat-
caused rabies in humans have been due to our most common bats.
Only two cases of human rabies have been attributed to the big brown bat
(Eptesicus fuscus)
and
none to the little brown bat
(Myotis lucifugus)—
two of our most abundant species. In contrast, the sol-
itary silver-haired bat
(Lasionycteris noctivagans)
accounted for fifteen of the twenty-one (71 percent)
of the cases of bat-caused rabies in humans.
In spite of these facts, the level of fear about rabid bats sometimes rises almost to hysteria, even
among health officials who should know better. The state of New York, for example, is spending a mil-
lion dollars a year “educating” the public about the dangers of rabid bats in ways that may simply ex-
acerbate the already unreasonable fears which many people have of bats. The basis for this costly and
potentially misleading campaign? The state of New York has recorded exactly
one
case of bat-transmit-
ted rabies in its entire history!
As an example of the problems caused by the state's almost paranoid concern about rabid bats, con-
sider the plight of a prestigious summer camp for boys. Fifty-three boys were sleeping in cabins where
a bat was seen flying. Although there was no evidence that the bat was rabid or that anyone had been in
contact with the bat, fifty-two of the boys had to receive the very costly rabies vaccination series (the
parents of one boy refused the vaccination). At another camp, forty-four campers and counselors were
vaccinated, based on health department recommendations,
merely because bats flew over them!
In contrast, Austin, Texas, has made a virtue of its bat population. A million and a half bats have
roosted under a bridge in downtown Austin for years, and large numbers of both city residents and tour-
ists regularly gather to watch their nightly exodus, yet not a single person in the area has contracted
rabies.
Unfortunately, health officials in a small minority of states (probably no more than a half-dozen)
aren't the only problem. From time to time, various national and regional magazines and newspapers
take up the cudgels to verbally beat on bats as a serious threat to spread rabies. A recent short piece in
a national magazine is a fine example.
Citing articles in two prominent and highly respected medical journals, the author of this ill-advised
piece warned that rabid bats act aggressively “just like raccoons and other infected animals. . . .” As it
turns out, the so-called aggressive behavior discussed in the medical journals consisted of such things as
bats biting when handled or when a sleeper rolled over onto a bat that had landed on the bed. Implying
that rabid bats fly about and aggressively bite people represents a wild extrapolation of the information
contained in the medical journals.
The sad part of this near hysteria is that it encourages widespread fear and killing of bats, many spe-
cies of which are already in serious decline. Solid, scientifically based warnings about handling bats
and the proper procedures if one has been in contact with a bat are to be encouraged. Terrifying people
about bats in general is quite another matter.
