Touched a bat, panicking about rabies

[Panicking22]

I'm at work, an sthere was a bat sitting on the outside windowsil.. It looked unwell as our in Broad daylight, so I thought I better put it in a box to take to a wildlife rescue..

I didn't think and picked it up to put it in the box.. I am now panicking about rabies. I don't think I've been bitten, and obviously washed my hands very very thoroughly but am panicking. What if If bit or scratched me but its too small to see?

Surely you’d know if it bit you?
I think you’ll be fine.

Highly unlikely as the vast majority of bats in the UK do not carry rabies. And yes, you'd surely know about it if it had bitten you! Next time wear gloves though...

You will be fine
I have done some Bat rehab and it’s very unlikely it bit you and there’s no guarantee it has rabies anyway

Google says there's only been one case in the uk of someone getting rabies from a bat. I think you'll be ok, especially if it hasn't obviously bitten or scratched you

I'm sure you'll be fine. A bat flew into DS once and when he phoned 111 they said that as long as it hadn't broken skin it would be fine and he was. Their bites are tiny, like pin pricks, but as you would be looking at it when you handled it, wouldn't you know if it had bitten you?

🫣😂

I think your fine.

Have you actually taken the bat to a vet, or you can phone the National Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228.

Thick response. If someone gets rabies, there's no cure and it's almost always fatal. So not to be taken lightly.

That said rabies is not often found in the UK.

I would probably take advice from someone with actual medical qualifications in this case.

@SausagePourHomme that's not exactly true there is a cure for rabies but it has to be administered within the 3 day window from 1st infection and when the virus passes through the blood brain barrier and the brain becomes infected

No rabies in the UK and wouldn't it have to bite u?

Rabies has been found in bats in the UK.

But yes it would have to bite you. If say you'd woken up to a bat in your bedroom and you couldn't be sure I'd be more concerned, but a brief hold of one you're fine. Next time wear gloves!

yes, but to get successful treatment you have to get it before symptoms start.

it doesn't have to be a bite, it can be a scratch or a lick if you have broken skin.

What??? Surely you'd know if you were bitten by a bat

If it helps I did the same 20 years ago, thought nothing of it until I got stuck on a side of tiktok that seemed to be about bats and rabies that put the fear of God into me. I spent a good 6 months worrying I was going to drop down with rabies any day now until a simple Google told me I'm outside the longest time frame for infection - onset and rabies is all but extinct in the UK

I share this as I hope it makes you feel less anxious! (and add the caveat I have anxiety issues)

This would be the sort of silliness I would worry about too OP but it’s probably not that high a risk so don’t stress.

on the other hand, I absolutely love bats, they are unbelievably brilliant animals so I hope the little bat friend will be ok.

Hi OP, as everyone else says, if it had bitten you you'd know.

I once picked up a bat that had become entangled in my mosquito net, in Uganda, where bats do carry rabies. It tried to bite me, but it was tiny - I remember the feeling of its minuscule teeth scraping my skin. It made no mark and I didn't get rabies, despite merely washing my hands perfunctory.

I suspect the op has died.

😂

It never did Freddie Flintoff any harm.

Not dead! I do have anxiety, which I think magnifued things.

I did a test for any scratches on my skin by pouring Rubbing alcohol, and there was no stinging 👍

I did call 111, and they said I'd get a ring back from the out of hours gp, that was at 6 and no call yet

Highly unlikely you have been infected but to put your mind at rest you can get post exposure treatment for possible rabies exposure from your local travel clinic, obviously you will have to pay, it is a series of 4 injections, there is no time limit for PET you just need to get the vaccine before any symptoms of rabies appear, so basically the sooner the better, the NHS website outlines all you need to know on the post exposure vaccine.

UK bats have extremely sharp teeth. You would know if you were bitten. Its described as a hypodermic needle being stabbed into you and even people sleeping would wake from being bitten- and know it. The bat colony around Dorset are of most concern, as many have a closely related virus. If this was abroad, the advice is different.

If you think it scratched/bit you, and you didn't have thick, leather gloves on- speak to your GP, 111 or A&E.

If the bat is now dead- send it hear for testing (with very thick, leather gloves on) www.bats.org.uk/advice/found-a-dead-bat/testing-dead-bats

We’ll done for your cautious approach.

the only uk bat that carries rabies is a bat called daubentons and it’s a water based bat so hunts along water courses so along as you were not near a river /steam/ lake you will be absolutely fine!

If you live in an urban environment and saw it in your garden chances are it’s a very common bat called a pipistelle which don’t carry it, if you live rurally it could be a bigger bat called a noctual, brown long eared, a serotine or a medium size bat called a whiskered or brandts which again don’t carry rabies! Only panic if it bit you whilst fishing or by the side of a water body ( we have a few more bats than that but that’s the common ones

I work in bat conservation & ecology so message me if your worried

Shoud add unless you’ve had rabies jabs it is not curable so if you are worried go to your GP, rabies is serious so be careful if you live near bats or handle them! Gloves have to be worn