NSW man dies in state's first case of Australian bat lyssavirus

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Health authorities say the death of a NSW man from a bat-borne virus is a reminder to avoid contact with wild animals. Wildlife disease ecologist Dr Alison Peel says transmission of the virus is very rare.

Transcript

00:00Australian Batless Virus, or ABLV, is a virus that circulates naturally within Australian

00:07bats and it's very closely related to rabies.

00:11It can be present in the saliva of some bats, including flying foxes and some of the Australian

00:16small insectivorous bats.

00:18How is it transferred?

00:21So it's important to know that you can't be exposed to the virus just by being near

00:26flying foxes or even being exposed to their faeces or anything like that.

00:30The bats carry the virus in their saliva and the exposure happens if an infected bat bites

00:37or scratches somebody or that their saliva comes into contact with an existing wound.

00:42Alison, how common is it in bats?

00:45It's very rare.

00:47There's been some studies that have screened thousands of healthy bats and failed to find

00:52the virus in any of those.

00:54But there are a number of bats each year that show behavioural signs and where the virus

01:00is detected in them.

01:02So we think it's circulating probably at less than half a percent of the population at any

01:05given time.

01:07And in terms of the cases into humans, this is another sad example, but it's the fourth

01:14case in Australia in total.

01:16It's interesting in that you don't get sick straight away.

01:20There's a delay in the illness progressing.

01:23Talk me through what it does to the body.

01:25Yeah.

01:26So the virus can enter the body through that wound site that I mentioned.

01:31And then it travels slowly up through the nerves towards the brain.

01:35And that takes quite a long time.

01:37And it's variable from person to person and where the bite site is.

01:43But it's only once the virus reaches your brain that you start to demonstrate clinical signs

01:48from the infection.

01:49Is there any treatment?

01:50Unfortunately, once the clinical signs are observed, there's no treatment.

01:55A vaccination?

01:57So preventative vaccination can either be administered to people who are in regular contact with bats.

02:07Things like wildlife carers or veterinarians or, in fact, similar to rabies, anyone who's traveling overseas

02:13and who might come into contact with infected animals.

02:17So there's a schedule of vaccination.

02:19And once you are immune and you have developed antibodies, then that's highly effective in preventing

02:25the infection.

02:26Or if there's somebody who's been exposed who hasn't previously been infected, then it's

02:31really important to seek medical attention immediately, because there is a treatment that generally prevents

02:38infection in taking hold and stops the virus before it reaches your brain.

02:43Alison, how great a risk is there in Australia?

02:46I'm thinking you see bats in amongst houses and people everywhere in Australia.

02:52So, you know, we've encroached on their territory and we live side by side.

02:57Yeah, I mean, absolutely.

02:59Bats are part of our natural environment, along with the many other wonderful wildlife species

03:04that we have here.

03:05The important thing to remember is that the infection is very rare in bats themselves and

03:11that direct contact is needed.

03:14And so that direct contact between people and bats is very rare.

03:18The periods of time when infection or the risk of infection might be highest is when bats

03:27are coming into contact more with humans.

03:29And that might be if there's a food shortage, for example, and bats are starving and might

03:34be looking for food in people's backyards.

03:36Or when we have the climate-induced sort of extreme heat events where large numbers of

03:43bats can die of heat stroke and be on the ground.

03:46And many people, members of the public are well-meaning and wanting to help those bats

03:50out.

03:51But really, it's better for yourself and for the bats if you leave them alone and contact

03:55a qualified wildlife carer.

03:57OK.

03:58Can it infect dogs and cats?

04:00It potentially can, like rabies, circulates in dogs around the world.

04:06But again, it requires that close contact and bite.

04:10So if you suspect that your dog, for example, might have come into contact with a bat, then

04:15contact your veterinarian to discuss the next steps.

04:18See you next time.

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