Bats are a key part of a healthy ecosystem and despite the myths, they are very beneficial creatures. They prey on night-flying insects, help disperse seeds, and pollinate plants. However, bats may also carry rabies and are a significant source of potential rabies exposure for humans in Michigan and across the United States.
If you find a bat inside your building and think you may have been exposed (bitten or scratched by the bat), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you should seek medical attention within 24 hours and have the bat collected and tested. In addition, because bats have very small teeth and a bite from a bat may not be felt. Even in the absence of an obvious bite wound, an exposure would include a bat found in the room of:
- A sleeping person
- A child
- A mentally or physically impaired person
- An intoxicated person
Why are Bats a Concern?
- Bat bites and even droplets of bat saliva may cause rabies in humans.
- Bat bites can be difficult to identify because they may not leave a mark.
- In Michigan, rabies is found more frequently in bats than in other mammals.
- Rabid bats cause the most rabies deaths in the U.S.
| IF YOU FIND A BAT IN… | THEN… | AND YOU SUSPECT THERE WAS AND EXPOSURE… |
| U-M Residence Hall |
|
Seek medical attention immediately at University Health Service |
| U-M work area |
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Seek medical attention immediately either at the U-M Occupational Health Services Clinic (complete the Work Connections Injury & Illness Form) or your primary care physician |
| Other areas such as an apartment or home | Follow the recommendations for collections and testing from the Washtenaw County Public Health Department or your local Health Department
If there is no indication someone was bitten or potentially exposed, remove the bat by following the guidelines from the Organization for Bat Conservation |
