Iowa Health and Human Services is reminding us all to avoid touching bats because they can carry rabies—a fatal disease that can spread to people and pets.
It is impossible to determine whether a bat has rabies simply by looking at it. Anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should immediately wash the wound with warm, soapy water and seek medical care. Prompt treatment can prevent illness if it begins before symptoms appear.
If a bat is found inside a home and may have contacted a person or pet, officials say it should be safely captured without being touched and submitted for testing. Residents attempting to contain a bat should wear leather work gloves and use a container and piece of cardboard.
Special care should be taken if a bat is found in a room with a sleeping person, young child or anyone unable to confirm they were not bitten. If the bat cannot be captured for testing, that person should see a doctor immediately.
Anyone who finds a bat outside should leave it alone, especially if it appears sick or injured. Residents with bats living inside their homes should contact a licensed wildlife-control operator.
More information is available through Iowa Health and Human Services or by calling the Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology at 800-362-2736.