CASCADE COUNTY, Mont. — A bat from Cascade County has tested positive for rabies, prompting local and state health officials to remind Montanans to take precautions around wildlife.
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The Cascade City-County Health Department confirmed the positive test Friday, August 28.
Rabies is a fatal viral disease that is typically spread through the saliva of an infected warm-blooded mammal, most commonly through a bite. In Montana, bats and skunks are among the animals most likely to carry the rabies virus.
Health officials say bats can be particularly concerning because their teeth are so small that a bite may not always be noticeable.
While human rabies deaths in the United States are rare, the disease is almost always fatal once symptoms develop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. averages about one to two human rabies deaths each year. Preventive treatment following a potential exposure is nearly 100 percent successful when administered before symptoms develop.
The last identified human death from rabies in Montana occurred in 1997.
Health officials are urging residents not to feed or handle wild animals, especially bats and skunks. People should also avoid approaching animals that are loose, sick or injured and should ask an owner's permission before petting domestic animals.
Keeping pets vaccinated is another important way to prevent rabies. Officials recommend making sure dogs and cats have current rabies vaccinations, noting that cats are particularly susceptible to the disease.
Residents are also encouraged to bat-proof their homes by ensuring screens are in place on windows, doors and chimneys and preventing bats from entering living areas.
If a bat or other animal is suspected of having rabies, officials recommend avoiding direct contact and, if possible, not damaging the animal's head. The brain is needed for rabies testing.
Anyone who is bitten by an animal should contact a health care provider or the Cascade City-County Health Department immediately.
In some cases involving a domestic dog or cat that can be located and observed for signs of rabies, additional treatment may not be necessary. However, if an animal cannot be found, observed or tested, the person exposed may need a series of preventive rabies vaccinations.
Health officials say the most important step is to seek medical guidance as soon as possible following a potential exposure.
