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Confirmed Case of Bat Rabies
in Oxfordshire
____________________________________________________
Posted: 12th October
2006
DEFRA
announced this week that a routine test carried out on a female Daubenton's bat submitted to the
Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, Surrey has confirmed the presence of
European Bat Lyssavirus type 2, a strain of rabies.
The news comes at a time when DEFRA are currently looking to take 50 Daubenton bats
from roost sites in England. The bats will be transported to Germany and infected with
European Bat Lyssaviruses - type 2 virus in a controversial experiment to monitor their
response.
The grounded bat was found by some people on a path by the river Thames near
Abingdon Lock in Oxfordshire on 12 September. They looked after it for a short time
before it was taken into the care of experienced bat workers. The bat is believed to have
died on September 15th and was sent to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for routine
testing. Although initial tests on this bat were negative, a biological test (which requires
up to 28 days to provide a final result) produced a positive result.
People who are known to have handled the bat are receiving appropriate medical
treatment as a precautionary measure. The risk to their health is negligible. Everyone
licensed to handle bats or who regularly handles bats in Great Britain needs an up to date
rabies vaccination and should wear protective gloves when handling bats (the
photo above was taken several years ago).
If you, or your pets, have had direct contact with this specific bat, and have been feeling a
bit rough, or are currently foaming at the mouth, you should probably contact the State
Veterinary Service at Reading Animal Health Office on 0118 959 6695 for animal
contacts and the Oxford Health Protection Unit on 01865 226 858 for human contacts.
Bat Detectors
UK Safari Bat Section
UK Safari News
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