Latest news with #batbite
ABC News
2 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
What is lyssavirus? Rare bat disease claims a fourth life in Australia
The rare but deadly lyssavirus has now claimed four lives in Australia. New South Wales Health confirmed a man aged in his 50s from the state's north died from the virus on Thursday after being bitten by a bat several months ago. It was the first known case in NSW. Here's what we know about the disease. Lyssavirus is a rabies-like infection transmitted via a bite or scratch from an infected bat to humans and other mammals, such as dogs and cats, or by exposure to an infected animal's saliva through the eyes, nose or mouth. NSW Health says lyssavirus affects the central nervous system and can take anywhere from weeks to years to present. The early symptoms are flu-like and include headache, fever and fatigue. The illness progresses rapidly to paralysis, delirium and convulsions. Death usually follows within a fortnight. Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) has been found in species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats, and has been detected in NSW, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. The CSIRO first identified the Australian bat lyssavirus in 1996 after a black flying fox was found displaying nervous symptoms near Ballina in northern NSW. Later that year a Queensland woman who had recently become a bat handler started to suffer numbness and weakness in her arm before falling into a coma and dying. In 1998 and 2013, respectively, a woman and an eight-year-old died after they were bitten or scratched by bats. University of Sydney veterinary scientist Alison Peel said bats had coevolved with lyssavirus over a number of years. "We know that a large number of bats have been exposed to the virus but not gone on to have clinical signs that they ultimately die of," she said. "It's a small proportion of bats that go on to develop those clinical signs, whereas in people and other animals it ultimately causes those clinical signs. Dr Peel said it was yet to be understood why some bats were resistant to the disease and that infected bats often exhibited erratic and aggressive behaviour. Trish Paterson, who ran the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in Queensland, said less than 0.1 per cent of the Australian bat population was infected with lyssavirus. "They catch it from a bite or a scratch from an infected bat, so the bats die from it exactly the same away we do, and it's nasty, very painful, and can take three to four weeks for an animal to die once they've contracted lyssavirus," she said. Ms Paterson said being fully vaccinated against rabies was crucial for anyone who handled bats and that it was worrying that another person had died from an infection despite receiving prompt medical attention. "If he received treatment and still contracted the virus, that would be a little bit concerning," she said. There is no cure for lyssavirus but there are measures that can limit the likelihood of a person developing the disease, including the rabies vaccine. "ABLV is closely enough related to rabies that all of the preventative measures developed around the world for rabies, including vaccines and post-exposure treatment, work against ABLV," Dr Peel said. She said the vaccinations were vital for anyone coming into contact with bats, including carers, veterinarians and wildlife officers. Dr Peel said anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should immediately wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes with soap and water and apply an antiviral antiseptic before allowing the affected area to dry. Post-exposure treatment involves getting a course of the rabies vaccine and potentially a dose of antibodies. "You're giving your immune system a head start rather than waiting for it to develop those antibodies," Dr Peel said. Dr Peel said it was rare for post-exposure treatment to fail. There is no cure once the disease is detected in the body. People are advised to avoid contact with bats and call WIRES on 1300 094 737 if they find a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground.
RNZ News
2 days 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
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Australian dies from ‘extremely rare' bat bite virus
Infected bats can transmit the lyssavirus to people, other bats and other mammals. (AFP pic) SYDNEY : 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 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.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Australian man dies after contracting ‘extremely rare' virus from bat bite
An Australian man has died from an 'extremely rare' rabies-like infection transmitted by a bat bite, health officials said on 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.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
NSW man dies after contracting Australian bat lyssavirus
A man has died from a life-threatening illness after he was bitten by a bat. NSW Health confirmed a man in his 50s died after contracting NSW's first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus. 'We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss,' A NSW Health spokesperson said. 'While it is extremely rare t see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it.' Aussies have been warned any bats could carry the life-threatening virus, and were urged to avoid touching or handling the animals. 'Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with bats.' The virus is spread to humans when saliva enters the body through cuts or scratches, the health department warning it's 'crucial' for anyone bitten or scratched by bats to urgently seek medical assessment. '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 antivirus action, such as betadine, and allow it to dry,' the spokesperson said. 'Patients then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.'
