PORTLAND – A person was bitten by a rabid bat in east Multnomah
County earlier this month, according to Oregon health officials.
The bat was taken to a veterinarian for testing on Tuesday May
15th, and it was carrying rabies, according to the Oregon State
Public Health Laboratory. This is the second bat to test
positive for rabies in 2012, and the first one in Multnomah
County since 2008. The bat had been wounded by a neighborhood
cat and the resident was trying to rescue it when it bit them.
After the incident, health officials were warning people to
avoid bats that appear to be sick, flopping around, or behaving
unusually. Most human exposures to bat rabies are a result of
handling a sick bat. Cats have the highest probability of
contracting rabies from bats and pet owners are reminded to make
sure their animals are vaccinated. Dogs, cats and ferrets that
do not have a current rabies vaccination and who have come into
contact with a bat are subject to euthanasia or a six month
quarantine under Oregon law. I