A man is in critical condition after he contracted a rare bat virus while in Australia. It's the first known case of Australian bat lyssavirus in New South Wales.
A 50-something-year-old is in critical condition after a bat bit him several months ago. In a release, officials confirmed that the man is in serious condition after contracting a virus. "This is a very tragic situation. The man had been bitten by a bat several months ago and received treatment following the injury," said NSW Health Protection director Keira Glasgow. "Further investigation is underway to understand whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness."
The virus is transmitted through bites and is found in a variety of animals, including flying foxes and several species of bats. The bat virus is related to the rabies virus and attacks the central nervous system. Symptoms begin with fever and headache but spiral into delirium and paralysis, and even death.
Rare Bat Virus
First identified in 1996, there have only been four confirmed cases of the rare bat virus since then. Officials encourage preventive measures such as staying away from bats.
"It is incredibly rare for the virus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment," said Glasgow, per the release.
Glasgow encourages anyone bitten by a bat to immediately seek medical treatment. Doctors will likely administer rabies treatment to prevent the development of these viruses.
"You will need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action, such as betadine, and allow it to dry," said Glasgow. "You will then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine."
If you find an injured bat, they also encourage you "do not try to rescue it [and] instead, contact trained experts WIRES or your local wildlife rescue group."
At this time, we're unsure what the man's condition is or what the future holds. But he and his family are in our prayers.
