California zoo visitors possibly exposed to rabid bat, health officials warn
This is the third rabid bat detected in San Diego County so far this year, according to county officials.
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Audubon Zoo New Orleans curator Liz Wilson joined FOX Weather on Sunday to explain how bats play an important role in our ecosystem.
SAN DIEGO – County public health officials have issued an urgent alert seeking anyone who may have come into contact with a rabid bat at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego County officials said the infected bat was not part of the zoo's animal collection, and visitors who had no physical contact with it are not at risk of rabies. The wild bat was found last Wednesday at the base of the public elevator in the African Loop. There is only one public elevator in the park.
A trained staff member safely collected the animal, and subsequent testing at a county health lab confirmed the presence of the rabies virus.
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FILE – A little brown bat roosts on tree bark. (MyLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Dr. Ankita Kadakia, the county's interim public health officer, stressed the seriousness of the situation.
"Human rabies is usually fatal without prompt post-exposure vaccine and treatment," she said. "Rabies transmission can happen from a bat bite or if a bat’s saliva comes in contact with a cut or abrasion, or with mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose or mouth."
This is the third rabid bat detected in San Diego County so far this year, according to county officials.
"Although bats can carry rabies, they are an important part of nature in San Diego County," Kadakia said. "It is important to respect the space of wildlife and do not touch them."
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Officials advise that if you do come into direct contact with a bat, you should wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical advice immediately.
Anyone who touched the bat, or knows someone who may have, is urged to contact County Public Health Services immediately at (619) 692-8499.
Rabies symptoms in humans can take weeks to months to appear after exposure, and once they develop, the disease is almost always fatal. However, prompt post-exposure treatment is highly effective in preventing the onset of rabies.