Overview

• A serotine bat rescued from a Shorwell garden on June 10 was euthanised and tested positive for European Bat Lyssavirus-1 on June 23.
• An APHA vet found no human or animal bites or scratches during the onsite investigation, and Defra confirmed that this case does not alter the UK’s rabies-free status.
• Bat Conservation Trust experts warn that EBLV is transmitted through bites, scratches or contact with infected saliva but that the risk to the public is very small.
• Only serotine and Daubenton’s bats have tested positive for EBLV in the UK, with the first EBLV-1 detection recorded in Dorset in 2018.
• The NHS provides post-exposure rabies vaccinations that are fully effective if administered promptly and authorities stress that only licensed handlers wearing protective gear should deal with distressed bats.