Latest news with #Lyssavirus
Perth Now
05-07-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
‘100%': Shock truth about rare bat disease
A northern NSW man has died after being bitten by a bat, in the first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) in NSW. The man, in his 50s, was bitten by a bat several months ago and had been in a critical condition in hospital, but on Thursday NSW Health confirmed he had died. 'We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss,' NSW Health said in a statement. The case marks the fourth ever documented of ABLV, all have been fatal. What is Lyssavirus? 'ABLV is a virus that circulates naturally in Australian bats that is very closely related to rabies,' said veterinarian and wildlife disease expert Dr Alison Peel. 'To infect a human, the virus needs to pass from the bat's saliva into a wound in the skin. For example, that can happen if an infected bat scratches or bites you, or if their saliva comes into contact with an existing break in your skin. 'You cannot contract the virus just by being near flying foxes.' Once infected the victim will experience a latency period where they are asymptomatic and appear healthy, this period may stretch from weeks to possibly years until symptoms begin to appear. ABLV is present in flying fox populations as well as in microbat populations. Photo Jeremy Piper Credit: News Corp Australia 'Once symptomatic, ABLV infection has a 100 per cent fatality rate with no effective treatment available,' said molecular virologist professor Vinod Balasubramaniam. '(ABLV) infects peripheral nerves and progresses rapidly to the central nervous system, causing fatal acute encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord).' ABLV was first identified by the CSIRO in 1996, after a black flying fox exhibiting neurological symptoms was discovered near Ballina in northern New South Wales. Later that same year, a woman in Queensland who had recently begun working as a bat handler developed numbness and weakness in her arm, before falling into a coma and passing away. Two more fatalities occurred in 1998 and 2013, when a woman and an eight-year-old child died after being bitten or scratched by bats. Although the virus is found in Australian bats it exists in an extremely low percentage of the population. A transmission electron micrograph showing colorised bullet shaped Australian Bat lyssavirus particles. Supplied Credit: Supplied Exact numbers are difficult to determine due to its scarcity however Trish Paterson, who ran the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in Queensland, told the ABC less than 0.1 per cent of the Australian bat population was infected with the virus. 'The virus is present in the saliva of some Australian bats, but at very low prevalence,' said Dr Peel. 'The proportion of bats infected by the virus is normally very low – studies have looked for the virus in thousands of healthy bats and failed to find it. 'Like humans and other animals, infected bats may become sick and die, however, some bats may appear unaffected. So, you can't always tell just by looking at a bat whether it's infected or not.' What can you do to protect yourself? Experts stressed the best defence against ABLV was avoiding bats and particularly avoiding provoking them. 'This recent NSW case, the first in the state, highlights significant lessons for public health: individuals must avoid direct contact with bats,' said professor Balasubramaniam. 'Unvaccinated people should avoid handling bats in the wild, and if they encounter an injured bat they should contact their local wildlife rescue group, rather than trying to handle the animal themselves,' said director of equine infectious diseases at Melbourne University professor James Gilkerson. Experts are warning the public not to interact with bats. Dean Martin Credit: News Corp Australia 'Veterinarians and wildlife carers are two groups at higher risk, and it is recommended that those people are vaccinated against rabies to protect them against ABLV infection.' Professor Balasubramaniam advised those bitten or scratched to 'seek immediate medical intervention, including thorough wound cleaning and prompt administration of rabies immunoglobulin and vaccines following any potential exposure'. 'Public health authorities must adopt a robust approach such as intensifying targeted education for high-risk groups like veterinarians and wildlife handlers, enhancing surveillance of bat populations, and investing in research for advanced vaccines and antiviral therapies. 'The (recent) incident highlights the critical need to respect ecological boundaries, promote community awareness, and ensure swift, evidence-based medical and public health responses.' Professor Balasubramaniam also noted that all four Australian cases have been fatal despite receiving standard rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
International Business Times
04-07-2025
- Health
- International Business Times
What is Lyssavirus? Australian Man Dies After Being Bitten by Bat Carrying 'Extremely Rare' Infection
An Australian man has died from an "extremely rare" rabies-like infection after being bitten by a bat, health officials said Thursday. The man, who has not been identified but was in his 50s, was bitten by a bat carrying the Australian bat lyssavirus several months ago, the health service in New South Wales said in a statement. "While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it," Keira Glasgow, a director in health protection at NSW Health said in the statement. Glasgow said there were 118 people who required medical assistance after being bitten or scratched by bats in 2024, but this is the first confirmed case of the virus in New South Wales, and the fourth case reported in Australia. The man from northern New South Wales was reported as being in "critical condition" in the hospital earlier this week. Authorities said he was undergoing treatment after being bitten and they were investigating whether other exposures or factors may have contributed to his illness. What is Lyssavirus? The Lyssavirus virus — a close relative to rabies, which does not exist in Australia — is transmitted when bat saliva enters the human body through a bite or scratch. The initial symptoms can take days or even years to surface. Some of these symptoms include flu-like signs such as a headache, fever and fatigue, the health service said. The victim's condition then rapidly deteriorates, leading to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death. There were only three previous cases of human infection by Australian bat lyssavirus since it was first identified in 1996 — all of them proved to be fatal. The virus has been found in species of flying foxes and insect-eating microbats, NSW Health said. The species of bat involved in the latest fatality has not been identified. "Australian bat lyssavirus is very closely related to rabies and will cause death in susceptible people if they become infected and are not treated quickly," said James Gilkerson, infectious diseases expert at the University of Melbourne. Health Service Issues Warning, Asks People to Avoid Contact with Bats in Australia The infection is "very closely related to rabies." People have been warned to avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus, the New South Wales health service said. Only wildlife handlers who are trained, protected, and vaccinated should interact with the flying mammals, it warned. "If you or someone you know is bitten or scratched by a bat, you need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action," it said. "Patients then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine."
ABC News
04-07-2025
- Health
- 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.
The Advertiser
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
'Invariably fatal' rare bat virus claims another victim
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. 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.
The Age
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Age
‘No effective treatment': Man dies in NSW's first case of rare bat disease
A man from northern NSW has died in the state's first case of Australian bat lyssavirus, a rare disease closely related to rabies. Lyssavirus is transmitted from infected bats to humans when bat saliva containing the virus enters the body through a bite or scratch. The man aged in his 50s died in hospital, NSW Health confirmed on Thursday. 'We express our sincere condolences to the man's family and friends for their tragic loss,' a spokesperson said. More than 100 people required medical assessment after being bitten or scratched by bats last year, but this is the first confirmed case of the virus in NSW. Loading 'It is incredibly rare for the virus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment,' Keira Glasgow, a director in health protection at NSW Health, said on Wednesday. Glasgow said people should assume any bat in Australia could be carrying lyssavirus, and only trained and vaccinated wildlife workers should handle them. Lyssavirus is closely related to rabies – one of the most notorious and difficult to treat diseases humans can catch from animals. Anyone bitten or scratched by a bat must seek urgent medical care. The wound must be washed immediately and thoroughly for 15 minutes with soap and water, then applied with antiseptic containing antivirus properties, such as betadine, and allowed to dry.
