All articles tagged with #bats
Los Angeles County has confirmed 69 rabid bats in 2026, matching last year's annual record before the peak season ends. Officials warn that indoor encounters pose higher risks, with 68% of cases concentrated in the Santa Clarita Valley among canyon bats.
A massive international study published in Nature concludes that bats originated in Europe approximately 65 million years ago, overturning previous theories that placed their origins in Africa, Asia, or North America. By analyzing 103 bat genomes and 44 fossils, researchers determined that key traits like flight and echolocation evolved early in bat history. The findings provide a new framework for understanding bat disease resistance and longevity, which could inform human medical research, while highlighting the urgent need to conserve these ecologically vital mammals.
Kansas City is experiencing a significant spike in rabies-positive bats and human exposures, prompting local health officials to urge immediate precautions. This local trend aligns with a broader national warning from the CDC regarding increased rabies-related inquiries and treatment usage across the United States.
CDC warns of a nationwide rise in rabies exposures. In Washington state, 20 bats tested positive for rabies across 11 counties in 2026, with no human cases reported yet. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear but preventable with prompt post-exposure vaccination; if exposed, seek medical guidance, and protect pets by vaccination and avoiding wildlife.
CDC has issued a health alert as rabies exposures rise nationwide. In California, about 200 animals test positive for rabies each year (mostly bats), with 17 human cases since 1980. Rabies is nearly always fatal after symptoms but preventable with prompt post-exposure vaccination and immunoglobulins; if exposed, seek immediate medical care and follow prevention steps such as avoiding wild animals, vaccinating pets, and securing trash and animal access to reduce risk.
A Bangor resident at St. Xavier’s Apartments faced repeated bat intrusions, sleeping on a bathroom floor and even in an indoor tent, leading to eight rabies shots and a dispute over landlord responsibility and Maine habitability laws.
The CDC issued a health advisory as human rabies exposures rise and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) practices are scrutinized, noting that bats account for about 92% of California’s rabid animals this year. In Sutter County, three rabid bats have been found since late July, prompting warnings about bat bites that can go unnoticed, especially in children. Health officials urge avoiding wildlife contact, washing wounds promptly, and seeking immediate medical advice if exposure is suspected, while the CDC reports increased rabies inquiries nationwide and higher use of rabies vaccines.
Humboldt County Public Health reports two incidents in Manila and Arcata where bats tested positive for rabies, resulting in three children receiving post-exposure treatment; officials urge avoiding contact with wild or stray animals, bringing pets indoors at night, reporting bites, washing wounds promptly, and ensuring pets are vaccinated against rabies.
A dead bat found near Curry Village in May tested positive for rabies at Yosemite, but park officials waited more than three months to alert visitors. No known human contact has been reported; authorities urge anyone who touched a bat in the Curry Village area around May 18 to seek medical advice. The delay has drawn criticism and questions about public-health messaging, as other parks issued alerts within days or weeks. Rabies is fatal if untreated but preventable with prompt care; testing follows routine wildlife-disease surveillance, and public alerts depend on exposure risk.
Public Health warns residents not to handle bats after three children required rabies treatment from two encounters in Manila and Arcata; the bats tested positive, underscoring that rabies is present year‑round in Humboldt wildlife and statewide as an endemic disease. Officials advise avoiding contact with wild animals, reporting bites, keeping pets vaccinated, and bat‑proofing homes; low‑cost rabies vaccination clinics run in summer, and questions or bite reports can be directed to DHHS at 707-445-6215 or 1-800-963-9241.
Berkeley public health officials warn doctors and residents after five bats tested positive for rabies in 2026, a sharp increase from prior years, with guidance to avoid handling bats, report exposures, vaccinate pets, and seek prompt post-exposure treatment; no human cases in the area so far.
Public health officials in Bismarck say two rabid bats were found near each other, suggesting more rabid bats may be nearby. The health department asks residents to report bats acting strangely and to ensure pets are vaccinated or receive boosters after exposure, stressing that the rabies vaccine is highly effective and that bites can go unnoticed.
A study of little brown bats finds they have extra copies of the immune gene PRK and that their cells, when damaged by toxins, favor killing damaged cells over repairing them, a possible mechanism for cancer resistance and longevity that researchers hope could inspire human aging and cancer research, though real applications are far off.
Bats are increasingly entering homes in New York’s Capital Region and Hudson Valley during their maternity season, with pest-control services seeing about a 15% rise in bat-related calls. Bats look for warm, dark places to raise their pups and can squeeze through tiny openings, turning attics and walls into shelters. While the rabies risk from bats is low, health officials urge sealing entry points and contacting local health departments or animal control if a bat is inside or there has been direct contact, noting that reports may be driven by public awareness even as bat populations are affected by white-nose syndrome.
A Richmond gastroenterologist woke to a bat in her mouth, trapped the animal for rabies testing and sought emergency care, learning that exposure requires prompt action; the bat later tested negative, underscoring the importance of contacting local health authorities and following testing guidelines when a bat exposure occurs.