Latest news with #AustralianBatLyssavirus
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- Health
- RNZ News
NSW man dies from 'rabies-like' lyssavirus after bat bite
By Bruce McKenzie , ABC Lyssavirus is a rare disease spread by bats. Photo: ABC / Craig Greer A northern New South Wales man has died after contracting the state's first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus. The news comes after NSW Health issued a statement on Wednesday that the man, in his 50s, had received treatment after a bat bit him several months ago. It said there was no effective treatment once symptoms of the virus appeared and an investigation was underway to establish if other exposures or factors contributed to the man's infection. It is the fourth case recorded in Australia. NSW Health describes lyssavirus as a "rabies-like infection" that affects the central nervous system. It is transmitted from infected bats to humans via a bite or scratch. NSW Health is warning people not to touch bats. Trish Paterson, a wildlife carer for more than 30 years who ran the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in Queensland, said bat-to-human transmission of the disease was "very rare". "Once you get it you pretty much die and that's why we as carers have the vaccination," she said. "But if you don't touch bat, you can't get bitten or scratched. "There's no other way to get lyssavirus other than [from] a bite or a scratch." Paterson said it was worrying that the man had been treated for a bat bite but still developed the disease. "If he received treatment [directly after the bite] and still contracted the virus, that would be a little bit concerning," she said. NSW Health said if someone was bitten by a bat, urgent medical assessment was crucial. It said people often required treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and the rabies vaccine. In Australia, 118 people required medical assessment after they were bitten or scratched by bats last year. The virus has been found in species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats. -ABC
CBS News
17 hours ago
- Health
- CBS News
Man dies after being bitten by bat carrying "extremely rare" infection in Australia
An Australian man has died from an "extremely rare" rabies-like infection transmitted by a bat bite, health officials said Thursday. The man in his 50s was bitten by a bat carrying Australian bat lyssavirus several months ago, the health service in New South Wales said in a statement. "While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it," Keira Glasgow, a director in health protection at NSW Health said in the statement. Glasgow said there were 118 people who required medical assistance after being bitten or scratched by bats in 2024, but this is the first confirmed case of the virus in New South Wales, and the fourth case in Australia. The man from northern New South Wales, who has not been identified, was this week listed as being in a "critical condition" in hospital. Officials said he was treated following the bite and they were investigating to see whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness. The virus — a close relative to rabies, which does not exist in Australia — is transmitted when bat saliva enters the human body through a bite or scratch. First symptoms can take days or years to appear. Early signs of the disease are flu-like — a headache, fever and fatigue, the health service said. The victim's condition rapidly deteriorates, leading to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death. There were only three previous cases of human infection by Australian bat lyssavirus since it was first identified in 1996 — all of them fatal. Infection is "very closely related to rabies" People should avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus, the New South Wales health service said. Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with the flying mammals, it warned. "If you or someone you know is bitten or scratched by a bat, you need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action," it said. "Patients then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine." The virus has been found in species of flying foxes and insect-eating microbats, NSW Health said. The species of bat involved in the latest fatality has not been identified. "Australian bat lyssavirus is very closely related to rabies and will cause death in susceptible people if they become infected and are not treated quickly," said James Gilkerson, infectious diseases expert at the University of Melbourne. The virus was first identified in May 1996 by scientists at the national science agency CSIRO, who examined brain tissue from a flying fox that had been showing "nervous signs" in New South Wales. Later that year, a bat handler in Queensland became ill. "The initial numbness and weakness suffered in her arm progressed to coma and death," the science agency said in an online document on the virus. "Two further cases in Queensland — a woman in 1998 and an eight year old boy in 2013 — resulted in death after being bitten or scratched by a bat," it said. There are subtle differences between the lyssavirus in flying foxes and insectivorous bats, the science agency has found. Infected bats can transmit the virus to people, other bats and other mammals. Last year, at least three people died in North America after being bitten or exposed to a bat. In November, a California teacher died after she was bitten by a bat that presumably had rabies inside her classroom. In October, health officials in Canada announced that a child died from rabies after being exposed to a bat in their room. About a week before that, officials announced a U.S. citizen died from rabies after being exposed to a bat in western Minnesota in July.
CTV News
18 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Australian man dies from ‘extremely rare' bat bite virus
Sydney, Australia -- An Australian man has died from an 'extremely rare' rabies-like infection transmitted by a bat bite, health officials said Thursday. The man in his 50s was bitten by a bat carrying Australian bat lyssavirus several months ago, the health service in New South Wales said. 'We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss,' NSW Health said in a statement. 'While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it.' The man from northern New South Wales, who has not been identified, was this week listed as being in a 'critical condition' in hospital. Officials said he was treated following the bite and they were investigating to see whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness. The virus -- a close relative to rabies, which does not exist in Australia -- is transmitted when bat saliva enters the human body through a bite or scratch. First symptoms can take days or years to appear. Early signs of the disease are flu-like -- a headache, fever and fatigue, the health service said. The victim's condition rapidly deteriorates, leading to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death. There were only three previous cases of human infection by Australian bat lyssavirus since it was first identified in 1996 -- all of them fatal. 'Coma and death' People should avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus, the New South Wales health service said. Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with the flying mammals, it warned. 'If you or someone you know is bitten or scratched by a bat, you need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action,' it said. 'Patients then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.' The virus has been found in species of flying foxes and insect-eating microbats, NSW Health said. The species of bat involved in the latest fatality has not been identified. 'Australian bat lyssavirus is very closely related to rabies and will cause death in susceptible people if they become infected and are not treated quickly,' said James Gilkerson, infectious diseases expert at the University of Melbourne. The virus was first identified in May 1996 by scientists at the national science agency CSIRO, who examined brain tissue from a flying fox that had been showing 'nervous signs' in New South Wales. Later that year, a bat handler in Queensland became ill. 'The initial numbness and weakness suffered in her arm progressed to coma and death,' the science agency said in an online document on the virus. 'Two further cases in Queensland -- a woman in 1998 and an eight year old boy in 2013 -- resulted in death after being bitten or scratched by a bat,' it said. There are subtle differences between the lyssavirus in flying foxes and insectivorous bats, the science agency has found. Infected bats can transmit the virus to people, other bats and other mammals.
Malay Mail
18 hours ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Australian man dies from ‘extremely rare' bat bite virus
SYDNEY, July 3 — An Australian man has died from an 'extremely rare' rabies-like infection transmitted by a bat bite, health officials said today. The man in his 50s was bitten by a bat carrying Australian bat lyssavirus several months ago, the health service in New South Wales said. 'We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss,' NSW Health said in a statement. 'While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it.' The man from northern New South Wales, who has not been identified, was this week listed as being in a 'critical condition' in hospital. Officials said he was treated following the bite and they were investigating to see whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness. The virus — a close relative to rabies, which does not exist in Australia — is transmitted when bat saliva enters the human body through a bite or scratch. First symptoms can take days or years to appear. Early signs of the disease are flu-like — a headache, fever and fatigue, the health service said. The victim's condition rapidly deteriorates, leading to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death. There were only three previous cases of human infection by Australian bat lyssavirus since it was first identified in 1996 — all of them fatal. 'Coma and death' People should avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus, the New South Wales health service said. Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with the flying mammals, it warned. 'If you or someone you know is bitten or scratched by a bat, you need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action,' it said. 'Patients then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.' The virus has been found in species of flying foxes and insect-eating microbats, NSW Health said. The type of bat involved in the latest fatality has not been identified. Australian bat lyssavirus was first identified in May 1996 by scientists at the national science agency CSIRO, who examined brain tissue from a flying fox that had been showing 'nervous signs' in New South Wales. Later that year, a bat handler in Queensland became ill. 'The initial numbness and weakness suffered in her arm progressed to coma and death,' the science agency said in an online document on the virus. 'Two further cases in Queensland — a woman in 1998 and an eight year old boy in 2013 — resulted in death after being bitten or scratched by a bat,' it said. There are subtle differences between the lyssavirus in flying foxes and insectivorous bats, the science agency has found. Infected bats can transmit the virus to people, other bats and other mammals. — AFP
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Australian man dies from rare infection caused by ‘rabies-like' bat virus
A man in his 50s from northern New South Wales died after contracting Australian bat lyssavirus, marking the state's first recorded human fatality from the disease. NSW Health confirmed that the man had been bitten by a bat several months ago and received treatment at the time but succumbed to the virus recently. They said an investigation was underway to determine whether additional exposures or factors played a role in the infection. This is only the fourth case ever recorded in the country of Australian bat lyssavirus infection. The virus, described by NSW Health as a 'rabies-like infection', attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted through bites or scratches from infected bats. Health officials say there is no effective treatment for the disease once symptoms develop. Healthcare authorities are urging the public to avoid any contact with bats. There have been no reports of human-to-human transmission of the virus. Trish Paterson from the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in Queensland told ABC News that bat-to-human transmission of the disease was 'very rare'. 'Once you get it you pretty much die and that's why we as carers have the vaccination,' she said. 'But if you don't touch bats, you can't get bitten or scratched. There's no other way to get lyssavirus other than a bite or a scratch.' Australian bat lyssavirus, first detected in a fruit bat in northern New South Wales in May 1996, remains the country's sole known lyssavirus. It has since been found in multiple species such as flying foxes, fruit bats, and insect-eating microbats. A fatality from the virus occurred in 1998, followed by the death of a child in 2012. Two cases were also recorded in horses in 2013. Prof Tim Mahony, a research fellow in veterinary biology at the University of Queensland, told the Guardian that the fatal cases in humans were down to a 'very rare convergence of different factors'. 'We've had four cases since we've known about it in the mid '90s. Over that time, I would expect thousands of people have been exposed to bats in some way or another,' he said. According to the Australian health department, the symptoms of the infection have a similar clinical presentation to rabies. 'The illness usually starts with flu-like symptoms that may last from a few days to weeks,' the Australian Centre for Disease Control says. 'Common symptoms include fatigue, fever, headache, pain and/or weakness at the site of infection, loss of appetite, and anxiety.' The illness progresses to paralysis, delirium and seizures. 'ABLV usually causes death within 1 to 2 weeks of the onset of symptoms,' the centre states on its website.
