Officials find another rabid bat

By David Wahlberg

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    MADISON, Wisconsin (Wisconsin State Journal ) — A bat found near the restrooms along Lakeland Avenue in Olbrich Park in Madison on Wednesday has tested positive for rabies, Public Health Madison and Dane County said Thursday.

It’s the fourth bat in Wisconsin, and the second in Dane County, to test positive for rabies this year, the city-county health department said. Last year, seven bats tested positive in the county.

Health officials said people who suspect they’ve had contact with a bat should consult their health care providers. Bats have small teeth, which leave small marks that go away quickly, John Hausbeck, environmental health supervisor for the department, said in a statement.

“This makes it hard to know for sure whether it bit you at all,” Hausbeck said. “If someone waits until they start seeing signs and symptoms of rabies, they have likely waited too long.”

Rabies is a potentially deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. After a bite by a rabid animal, the infection moves from the bite wound to the nerve cells, causing a variety of symptoms including fever, vomiting, muscle weakness, drooling and convulsions.

People who find bats in their living spaces or areas where contact with people or pets is likely are asked to call Police and Fire Dispatch at (608) 255-2345.

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