'Invariably fatal' rare bat virus claims another victim
NSW Health confirmed the man in his 50s died on Thursday after being bitten by a bat several months ago.
The northern NSW man was the first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus in the state and only the fourth in the nation.
Lyssavirus transmits from infected bats to humans when virus in their saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch.
Emerging bat viruses expert Alison Peel told AAP the virus, like rabies, travels through the nervous system to the brain.
"That happens very slowly so it's quite usual for that to take a number of months between the exposure and the clinical signs developing," the University of Sydney Horizon Fellow said.
More than 100 people received medical treatment after potential or suspected exposures each year, Dr Peel said, but it was unknown how many actually contracted the virus.
"But certainly, once clinical signs develop ... it's generally, invariably fatal."
Australia is home to more than 80 species of bats, and without widespread surveillance of them all, it's safest to assume any bat could be carrying the virus.
It was only transmitted through direct contact, so being near bats, or even pooed on by one, was not cause for too much alarm, Dr Peel said.
"It's an important consideration to try and avoid direct contact and not touching bats, but we shouldn't panic and take it out on the bats themselves."
The virus is also potentially deadly to bats.
"It does seem to be circulating within their populations at very, very low levels," Dr Peel said.
"But there are quite a high proportion of bats out there that have antibody evidence that suggests that they have been exposed to the virus in the past and they've not become sick.
"There is something unique about the way bats are able to handle the infection."
It is extremely rare for the virus to transmit to humans because it does not spread through the air.
A NSW Health spokesman said anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should seek urgent medical assessment.
"Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with bats."
People bitten or scratched by a bat require rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.
In 2024, 118 people were treated after being bitten or scratched by a bat around the nation.
The virus was first discovered in a black flying fox in Queensland in 1996.
A man has died after contracting an extremely rare, rabies-like bat virus, the fourth death since its discovery almost 30 years ago.
NSW Health confirmed the man in his 50s died on Thursday after being bitten by a bat several months ago.
The northern NSW man was the first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus in the state and only the fourth in the nation.
Lyssavirus transmits from infected bats to humans when virus in their saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch.
Emerging bat viruses expert Alison Peel told AAP the virus, like rabies, travels through the nervous system to the brain.
"That happens very slowly so it's quite usual for that to take a number of months between the exposure and the clinical signs developing," the University of Sydney Horizon Fellow said.
More than 100 people received medical treatment after potential or suspected exposures each year, Dr Peel said, but it was unknown how many actually contracted the virus.
"But certainly, once clinical signs develop ... it's generally, invariably fatal."
Australia is home to more than 80 species of bats, and without widespread surveillance of them all, it's safest to assume any bat could be carrying the virus.
It was only transmitted through direct contact, so being near bats, or even pooed on by one, was not cause for too much alarm, Dr Peel said.
"It's an important consideration to try and avoid direct contact and not touching bats, but we shouldn't panic and take it out on the bats themselves."
The virus is also potentially deadly to bats.
"It does seem to be circulating within their populations at very, very low levels," Dr Peel said.
"But there are quite a high proportion of bats out there that have antibody evidence that suggests that they have been exposed to the virus in the past and they've not become sick.
"There is something unique about the way bats are able to handle the infection."
It is extremely rare for the virus to transmit to humans because it does not spread through the air.
A NSW Health spokesman said anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should seek urgent medical assessment.
"Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with bats."
People bitten or scratched by a bat require rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.
In 2024, 118 people were treated after being bitten or scratched by a bat around the nation.
The virus was first discovered in a black flying fox in Queensland in 1996.
A man has died after contracting an extremely rare, rabies-like bat virus, the fourth death since its discovery almost 30 years ago.
NSW Health confirmed the man in his 50s died on Thursday after being bitten by a bat several months ago.
The northern NSW man was the first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus in the state and only the fourth in the nation.
Lyssavirus transmits from infected bats to humans when virus in their saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch.
Emerging bat viruses expert Alison Peel told AAP the virus, like rabies, travels through the nervous system to the brain.
"That happens very slowly so it's quite usual for that to take a number of months between the exposure and the clinical signs developing," the University of Sydney Horizon Fellow said.
More than 100 people received medical treatment after potential or suspected exposures each year, Dr Peel said, but it was unknown how many actually contracted the virus.
"But certainly, once clinical signs develop ... it's generally, invariably fatal."
Australia is home to more than 80 species of bats, and without widespread surveillance of them all, it's safest to assume any bat could be carrying the virus.
It was only transmitted through direct contact, so being near bats, or even pooed on by one, was not cause for too much alarm, Dr Peel said.
"It's an important consideration to try and avoid direct contact and not touching bats, but we shouldn't panic and take it out on the bats themselves."
The virus is also potentially deadly to bats.
"It does seem to be circulating within their populations at very, very low levels," Dr Peel said.
"But there are quite a high proportion of bats out there that have antibody evidence that suggests that they have been exposed to the virus in the past and they've not become sick.
"There is something unique about the way bats are able to handle the infection."
It is extremely rare for the virus to transmit to humans because it does not spread through the air.
A NSW Health spokesman said anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should seek urgent medical assessment.
"Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with bats."
People bitten or scratched by a bat require rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.
In 2024, 118 people were treated after being bitten or scratched by a bat around the nation.
The virus was first discovered in a black flying fox in Queensland in 1996.
A man has died after contracting an extremely rare, rabies-like bat virus, the fourth death since its discovery almost 30 years ago.
NSW Health confirmed the man in his 50s died on Thursday after being bitten by a bat several months ago.
The northern NSW man was the first recorded case of Australian bat lyssavirus in the state and only the fourth in the nation.
Lyssavirus transmits from infected bats to humans when virus in their saliva enters the body through a bite or scratch.
Emerging bat viruses expert Alison Peel told AAP the virus, like rabies, travels through the nervous system to the brain.
"That happens very slowly so it's quite usual for that to take a number of months between the exposure and the clinical signs developing," the University of Sydney Horizon Fellow said.
More than 100 people received medical treatment after potential or suspected exposures each year, Dr Peel said, but it was unknown how many actually contracted the virus.
"But certainly, once clinical signs develop ... it's generally, invariably fatal."
Australia is home to more than 80 species of bats, and without widespread surveillance of them all, it's safest to assume any bat could be carrying the virus.
It was only transmitted through direct contact, so being near bats, or even pooed on by one, was not cause for too much alarm, Dr Peel said.
"It's an important consideration to try and avoid direct contact and not touching bats, but we shouldn't panic and take it out on the bats themselves."
The virus is also potentially deadly to bats.
"It does seem to be circulating within their populations at very, very low levels," Dr Peel said.
"But there are quite a high proportion of bats out there that have antibody evidence that suggests that they have been exposed to the virus in the past and they've not become sick.
"There is something unique about the way bats are able to handle the infection."
It is extremely rare for the virus to transmit to humans because it does not spread through the air.
A NSW Health spokesman said anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should seek urgent medical assessment.
"Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with bats."
People bitten or scratched by a bat require rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.
In 2024, 118 people were treated after being bitten or scratched by a bat around the nation.
The virus was first discovered in a black flying fox in Queensland in 1996.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
How can we prevent infection of the deadly lyssavirus?
A man in NSW has become the first ever NSW resident known to have died from Lyssavirus. The man in his 50s became ill after contracting the disease passed on by a bat. Dr Alison Peel is a veterinarian and wildlife disease ecologist at the University of Sydney explains how to prevent transmission of the virus.
ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
What is lyssavirus? Rare bat disease claims a fourth life in Australia
The rare but deadly lyssavirus has now claimed four lives in Australia. New South Wales Health confirmed a man aged in his 50s from the state's north died from the virus on Thursday after being bitten by a bat several months ago. It was the first known case in NSW. Here's what we know about the disease. Lyssavirus is a rabies-like infection transmitted via a bite or scratch from an infected bat to humans and other mammals, such as dogs and cats, or by exposure to an infected animal's saliva through the eyes, nose or mouth. NSW Health says lyssavirus affects the central nervous system and can take anywhere from weeks to years to present. The early symptoms are flu-like and include headache, fever and fatigue. The illness progresses rapidly to paralysis, delirium and convulsions. Death usually follows within a fortnight. Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) has been found in species of flying foxes, fruit bats and insect-eating microbats, and has been detected in NSW, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. The CSIRO first identified the Australian bat lyssavirus in 1996 after a black flying fox was found displaying nervous symptoms near Ballina in northern NSW. Later that year a Queensland woman who had recently become a bat handler started to suffer numbness and weakness in her arm before falling into a coma and dying. In 1998 and 2013, respectively, a woman and an eight-year-old died after they were bitten or scratched by bats. University of Sydney veterinary scientist Alison Peel said bats had coevolved with lyssavirus over a number of years. "We know that a large number of bats have been exposed to the virus but not gone on to have clinical signs that they ultimately die of," she said. "It's a small proportion of bats that go on to develop those clinical signs, whereas in people and other animals it ultimately causes those clinical signs. Dr Peel said it was yet to be understood why some bats were resistant to the disease and that infected bats often exhibited erratic and aggressive behaviour. Trish Paterson, who ran the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in Queensland, said less than 0.1 per cent of the Australian bat population was infected with lyssavirus. "They catch it from a bite or a scratch from an infected bat, so the bats die from it exactly the same away we do, and it's nasty, very painful, and can take three to four weeks for an animal to die once they've contracted lyssavirus," she said. Ms Paterson said being fully vaccinated against rabies was crucial for anyone who handled bats and that it was worrying that another person had died from an infection despite receiving prompt medical attention. "If he received treatment and still contracted the virus, that would be a little bit concerning," she said. There is no cure for lyssavirus but there are measures that can limit the likelihood of a person developing the disease, including the rabies vaccine. "ABLV is closely enough related to rabies that all of the preventative measures developed around the world for rabies, including vaccines and post-exposure treatment, work against ABLV," Dr Peel said. She said the vaccinations were vital for anyone coming into contact with bats, including carers, veterinarians and wildlife officers. Dr Peel said anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should immediately wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes with soap and water and apply an antiviral antiseptic before allowing the affected area to dry. Post-exposure treatment involves getting a course of the rabies vaccine and potentially a dose of antibodies. "You're giving your immune system a head start rather than waiting for it to develop those antibodies," Dr Peel said. Dr Peel said it was rare for post-exposure treatment to fail. There is no cure once the disease is detected in the body. People are advised to avoid contact with bats and call WIRES on 1300 094 737 if they find a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
ADHD meds are in short supply. Here's why, and what can you do about it
Some of the most common medications for ADHD are set to be in short supply until the end of the year, which means plenty of people across Australia may find their pharmacist can't fill their prescriptions. So, what are your options? We asked the experts why this was happening and what you can do if you're unable to fill out your regular prescription. In short, it's complicated. As Professor Dave Coghill explained, it came down to both a supply issue for the raw ingredient from the United States used in methylphenidate — and found in popular brands such as Ritalin and Concerta — as well as an increase in diagnoses. "It's actually a very complex supply chain problem. There's no malice and I think the companies that make the medication are quite embarrassed that they aren't able to fulfil their demands," he said. "It's a global problem, but not one that it's very easy — even for the companies based in Australia selling the medicines — to do anything about because they're not in control of production." It's difficult to put an exact number on the amount of people affected in Australia, because not everyone with a diagnosis is medicated. But it's estimated more than one million Australians live with ADHD. Professor Coghill, president of the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association, said the impact was significant. "Of the total number [of people medicated], we're talking under 1 per cent, but 1 per cent of all Australians is still a lot of Australians," he said. Firstly, don't panic. Because the issue is specifically about the supply of methylphenidate, there are other medications that should be available. If your regular medication isn't in stock, there are others that are equally as good, Professor Coghill said. He suggested going to your prescriber — such as your psychiatrist or your child's developmental paediatrician — and explaining the issue. They should be able to help. "Talk to your prescriber, talk to them quickly. Don't leave it lingering. People with ADHD are very good at procrastinating," he said. Professor Coghill said "almost always" your prescriber will be able to work out a good solution for you. John Kramer, the chair of the Royal Australian College of GP's ADHD, ASD and neurodiversity specialist group, is a certified prescriber and GP. He agreed. "All prescribers will now be aware of the problem — you'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it," he said. "I think if you've got an existing patient that you're prescribing for, then you've got a professional responsibility to not delay, too long, in them accessing their care. "And that means you have to slow down seeing new patients." Again, don't stress. Dr Kramer said your regular GP can also assist. "GPs who see patients with ADHD, who aren't actually prescribing for them, can still be helpful," he explained. "If a patient or a child is completely out of their medication and can't get seen, they can still approach their GP because advocacy is still one of the most important roles that GPs have." Your GP can also ring the regulatory authority in your jurisdiction and make an individual application for medication. "If you've got a patient that's completely out [of medication] and they can't get seen, they can put the case that this person is completely out of their usual stuff. That they can't be seen for a couple of months," Dr Kramer said. "I think that the regulator would have to show some compassion and flexibility." Generally, this isn't a good idea. While Professor Coghill acknowledged any adult with ADHD was able to make their own decisions, and the medication doesn't come with withdrawal symptoms, it's best to continue being treated during the shortage. "ADHD isn't just a school thing or a work thing. Family tensions can be greater when people aren't treated and less when they are treated," he said.
