Frequency of Rabies Infections and Clinical Signs in a Wildlife Rehabilitation Sample of Bats in Central Texas, 1997-2001

Two hundred and eighty-four (284) bats received by a wildlife rehabilitator in central Texas 1 January 1997-31 December 2001 either died or were euthanized due to severe injury or illness. All were examined for evidence of rabies infection by the direct fluorescent antibody procedure. Clinical signs of disease were documented and used to identify potentially rabid bats prior to laboratory testing. Rabies-infected bats were identified in two of the 10 species tested, specifically one red bat (Lasiurus borealis) and 18 Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). Testing bats that are killed, or that die with clinical signs indicative of rabies, to confirm infection status can generate information that may aid recognition of genuine signs of infection during future bat rehabilitation efforts. This, in turn, may help reduce the risk of exposure to rabies virus by rehabilitators.