A rabid bat found on Naperville’s east side is the seventh confirmed with the disease in DuPage and Will counties this year, officials said.
Naperville Animal Control officers were called to a home on Overton Court on Aug. 19 about a small brown bat found on the ground outside, which is a typical sign of a rabies infection, animal control officer Christine Maybach said.
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The bat was euthanized and tests confirmed it was infected, Maybach said.
Naperville Animal Control will test anywhere from two to 100 bats in the last months of the summer, depending on the volume of calls they receive, she said. Every year one or two will test positive for rabies.
“We actually call it our bat season, August and September,” Maybach said. Younger bats tend to disperse in late summer, which is also the time of year in which bats start preparing for the winter, she said.
DuPage County has reported five rabid bats so far this year, although the locations where they were found have not been disclosed. Will County has confirmed two rabid bats found in Peotone, the first in April and the second in June.
Bats are the main source of rabies in the area, Maybach said, although it can also be found in skunks, raccoons, foxes and other animals. One bat will transmit it to another through bites, often resulting from scuffles and squabbles in colonies, she said.
The DuPage County Health Department issued a warning to residents this week, urging them to never attempt to touch or capture a bat or any other animal suspected of being rabid.
Rabies can be transmitted from animal to person through a bite or if saliva finds its way into the body through the eyes, nose, mouth or a wound, the department said. It can be fatal if not treated.
According to DuPage data, 55 people have had to be treated for possible exposure this year. That requires a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and a rabies vaccine given on the day of exposure and again on days three, seven and 14 after the exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
There are things to look for in an animal or bat that is potentially rabid, a DuPage health department news release said.
“Changes in any animal’s normal behavior, such as difficulty walking or an overall appearance of illness, can be early signs of rabies,” the release said. “A bat that is active during the day, found on the ground (and/or is) unable to fly is more likely to be rabid. Such bats should never be touched or handled.
“If you have been bitten or exposed to a bat, seek immediate medical attention,” the release said. “Bat bites may not be felt while sleeping, and special consideration needs to be taken when a person awakens to a bat and also when a bat is found in the room with a previously unattended child, mentally disabled person or intoxicated person.”
Maybach said people should call 911 if they find a bat or animal suspected of being rabid. They should move away from the animal, try to isolate it in the room or area if it’s inside, and keep pets away, she said.
Cats and dogs are legally required to be vaccinated for rabies every year.