Seventh Rabid Bat Detection in Alameda County of 2015, Second in Pleasanton

Seventh Rabid Bat Detection in Alameda County during 2015 (2nd in Pleasanton)

A bat found in Pleasanton on April 20, 2015 and submitted to the Alameda County Public Health Laboratory for testing, tested positive for rabies. This makes two rabid bats detected in Pleasanton, three from Fremont, and one each in Sunol, San Leandro so far in 2015. This is the highest number of rabid animals detected in the first four months of the year, since we have been keeping records. The highest number of rabid animals detected in one year was 1999, where 16 animals were detected; nine bats, 6 skunks and one fox. In Pleasanton, during 1998 we detected one rabid bat, one rabid fox, and two rabid skunks. All told, 14 rabid bats have been detected in Pleasanton since 1995. Last year rabies was detected in two bats—one each from Fremont and Pleasanton.

This most recent Pleasanton bat find is still being investigated, though there does not seem to be human or pet contact with the rabid bat, and our staff distributed informational flyers in the adjacent neighborhood.

The periodic discovery of rabid animals (mostly bats) in Alameda County reinforces the need to keep your pets rabies vaccination up-to-date, and contact Pleasanton animal services (925) 931-5100, or Vector Control (510)-567-6800), if you notice a suspicious situation involving wildlife, bats, foxes, ferrets or cats and dogs. All mammals are potential victims of rabies, but in Alameda County, as well as all of California, bats are the animals most commonly detected with rabies, followed by skunks.

What is rabies and how is rabies transmitted?

Rabies is an acutely infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. People get rabies from the bite or saliva of a rabid animal. Any wild mammal, like a bat, skunk, or fox can have rabies and transmit it to people or our pets. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound. Because rabies is a fatal disease, the goal of public health is first to prevent human exposure to rabies by education and second, to prevent the disease by anti-rabies treatment if exposure occurs. Thousands of people are successfully treated each year after being bitten by an animal that may have rabies. A few people die of rabies each year in the United States (2011, 3 fatalities)—the majority of the cases were acquired outside of the U.S., usually because they do not recognize the risk of rabies from the bite of a wild animal and do not promptly seek medical advice. Bat contact is one of the highest risks for acquiring rabies, especially when people or their pets are exposed and they think their incidental contact was so slight that this is not a concern.

Why should I know about rabies?

Rabies is a fatal disease if left untreated soon after the time of exposure. Rabies virus acquired from bats has caused most of the recent human rabies cases acquired in California. Awareness of the facts about rabies can help people protect themselves, their families, and their pets. This information may also help clear up misunderstandings about the rabies risk in our area.

During 2014 there were 150 bats detected with rabies in California, 24 skunks, 2 cats, 1 dog, and 1 fox. In California from 1997 to 2011, rabies has been detected in 3,778 animals. Bats are the leader with 2,415 detected with rabies, and skunks are behind with 1,201. The next closest runner-up is the fox with 103, and followed by dogs (20) and cats (17). During this same time, period 112 rabid animals were detected in Alameda County (83 bats, 27 skunks, 1 fox, and 1 opossum). There have been eight fatal human cases in California from 1997 to 2014 (four acquired outside California and four acquired from bats in California).

Alameda County is a “declared rabies area” and rabies vaccination is mandatory for dogs over three months old. Vaccination helps protect your pet, and reduce the rabies exposure potential to you, your family, and neighbors. If your dog or cat is involved in a bite to a human or other animal, state law mandates “rabies quarantine” (isolation from people or animals) for the biting animal (usually 10 days). An unvaccinated dog, or cat that has contact with a biting animal that is subject to rabies, and that is not apprehended for quarantine or testing, will have to be vaccinated, and undergo six-month quarantine. Vaccinated dogs or cats will have to be revaccinated, and monitored for 30 days in quarantine. For the above reasons, having up-to-date rabies vaccination is very important to you, your family, and your pet. Six-month quarantine is a long time for a dog or cat to be isolated.