A bat found in a back garden in the Isle of Wight was infected with a rabies-like virus, the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed.
The injured serotine bat was taken to the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital before suspicious symptoms led to it being euthanised. Testing confirmed that the bat was infected with European Bat Lyssavirus-1 (EBLV-1).
A close relative of the better-known rabies virus, EBLV-1 also causes rabies. EBLV-2, another virus found in UK bats, also causes the disease. All are transmitted through bites, scratches, and the saliva of infected animals.
While the discovery of EBLV-1 in the Isle of Wight is concerning, the risk that bats pose to the general public is very small.
Alex Morss, from the Bat Conservation Trust, told the BBC that rabies-related viruses have been recorded in less than 0.3% of all bats tested in the last three decades, and in only two of the eighteen UK bat species – serotine and Daubenton's bat.
What’s more, there have been very few documented rabies cases in the UK.
“There have only been two recorded cases of rabies viruses from an infected wild British animal in a human in Britain since records began - one case was in 1902, the other case was in 2002,” Alex Morss told BBC News.
Thankfully, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) found no evidence that the Isle of Wight bat transmitted the virus to any other animals or humans.
All UK bat species are protected by law, and only licensed individuals should handle them.They often roost in attics, and this does not pose a risk to residents. Neither does viewing them flying overhead. Indeed, bats are generally shy and cautious creatures, and will avoid human contact as much as they can.
However, if you suspect you might have been bitten, scratched or licked by a bat, you should call the National Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228 and seek medical assistance straight away. When treatment is sought quickly, the risk of developing rabies is extremely low.
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Main image: serotine bat © Getty
