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YOUNGSTOWN -- On July 22, an Ohio Department of Health Laboratory report confirmed a bat testing positive for the rabies virus. The bat was collected by Mahoning County Public Health and was submitted to the ODH lab.
Mahoning County Public Health reminds all residents to protect themselves and their pets from coming in contact with wildlife.
Following these practices can help prevent the spread of the Rabies Virus in the community:
-- Ensure that pets (dogs, cats, ferrets) are current on their rabies vaccinations.
-- If pet has had an encounter with a wild animal in the past few days, seek veterinary attention immediately.
-- Report any bite incidents to the local health department.
-- If you see a sick, lethargic, or confused animal do not approach it. Instead contact animal control or local law enforcement.
"Pet owners need to remember that in Mahoning County all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies. Rabies vaccinations can be obtained from a local veterinarian," said Colton Masters, Director of Environmental Health for Mahoning County Public Health. "For bats, in particular, it can be difficult to truly prevent them from getting into your home. However, calling licensed animal trappers can help remove bats from your house, and after they have been removed, we suggest contacting a contractor to help find and seal up any holes in the home or areas where the bats may have entered. If you find a bat outside, leave it alone and keep your animals away from it. MCPH can only send in bats for testing if someone is considered exposed, and if you don't have contact with the bat outside, you do not fall into that category. If you find a bat inside your home, contact your local health department to report the incident and receive guidance on next steps."
Rabies virus is spread through direct contact (such as through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth) with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected animal. For this reason, it is extremely important that any human who encounters a possibly infected animal seeks medical attention immediately. Prompt treatment is the key to preventing the rabies virus in humans.
"A bite from a bat may be difficult or impossible to detect, so if the bat could have had potential contact with a person while they slept, we consider that person potentially exposed and need to be notified right away" said Masters.
Additionally, if you find a sick or dead raccoon, skunk, or fox that is not decayed, contact your local health department. Bats that are found dead, if they are not involved in a potential exposure, will not be tested.
If found in all other Mahoning County communities outside the city of Youngstown, contact Mahoning County Public Health at 330-270-2855 menu selection #2.