And the bat/rabies hysteria continue.
In the last 60+ years since records on this were started......
PUBLISHED STATISTICS THROUGH MARCH 2008:
• 53 cases confirmed as a result of bat rabies.
• 51 deaths* confirmed as a result of bat rabies in the past 56 years (since 1951). An average of less than one death per year.
*Of the 51 confirmed deaths, 4 contracted rabies through organ transplants.
Knowing the habits of bats and how they act in the wild is of importance. If one is out in the middle of the bright sunny day...maybe something is wrong with it. If is flopping around like its dying, maybe it is. It has sharp teeth. Dont let it bite you.
There is no more risk of a bat having rabies than many other warm blooded animals in the wild that has not had a rabies vaccination.
Raccoon and skunks are over twice as likely to have rabies as bats, but they sure are a lot cuter than than those ugly bats.
Give me a break.
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsrabies/
“In the U.S., rabies represents a serious threat to the health of people and animals. Every year, it is estimated that 40,000 persons receive a rabies prevention treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) due to a potential exposure to rabies.”
> 53 cases confirmed as a result of bat rabies.
> 51 deaths confirmed as a result of bat rabies in the past
> 56 years (since 1951).
This number is so low because if there is a suspicion that you have been exposed, you are given PEP. If you are unaware that you have been exposed, and you contract rabies, you are almost certainly going to die.
So the question becomes, if whatever percentage of those people who were exposed to rabid bats and given PEP, were not given PEP, how many would have died of rabies?
There is no way of knowing, of course. But it is likely a lot larger a number.