141
Meanwhile, “the saliva cannot be swallowed, so frothing at the mouth and vomiting
of bloody fluid occurs.”22 The spasms are generally triggered by some stimuli, such as air,
water, light, noises, odor, a minimal excitement or the sight of mirrors. A rabid patient
may attack anyone who approaches, biting and tearing the individual like a wild beast.
During these episodes, the patient’s appearance is frightening, and has been compared to
that of a furious wolf.23
Final Thoughts
Despite their eerie, gargoyle-like, almost supernatural appearance, bats are gentle, keep
scrupulously clean and have a measure of intelligence that scientists equate with dogs.24
They can be easily trained, and only rarely transmit rabies.
However, bats can be rabid and are best avoided. This is especially true for bats that
are active during the day or found in a place where they are not usually seen, like in your
home or on the lawn. You cannot tell that a bat has rabies just by looking at it. Presence of
the disease can only be confirmed by laboratory testing.25
References
1. Frick WF et al. “An emerging disease causes regional population collapse of a common North American bat
species.” Science 2010 Vol 329(6):679–82.
2. Editorial: “A destructive epidemic.” New York Times, 9 August 2010.
3. Streicker DG et al. “Host phylogeny constraints crossspecies emergence and establishment of rabies virus in
bats.” Science 2010 Vol 329 (6):676–79.
4. Venable N. Bats. West Virginia University Wildlife Publication, December 1999.
5. San Francisco State University (http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall99Projects/vampire.htm) Accessed
31 January 2012.
6. Arkive Images of life on earth (http://www.arkive.org/common-vampire-bat/desmodus-rotundus/info.
html). Accessed 11 August 2010.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/education/index.html).
Accessed 11 August 2010.
8. Patterson KD. Rabies, in Kiple KF (Ed): The Cambridge World History of Human Disease. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge MA, 1993.
9. Kaplan MM and Meslin FX: A Brief History of Rabies, in Microbe Hunters, Then and Now, Medi-Ed Press,
Bloomington, IL, 1996.
10. Geison GL. The Private Science of Louis Pasteur. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1995.
11. Op cit 9.
12. Sherman M. “Rabies, a history and update on prophylaxis regimens.” US Pharmacist, 2000 (15):3041.
13. Fishbein DB and Robinson LE. Rabies, NEJM 1993 329:1632–38.
14. Ibid.
15. Human Rabies—Virginia, 2009, MMWR 2010 59:1236–1238.
16. Smith JS. “New aspects of rabies with emphasis on epidemiology, diagnosis and prevention of disease in the
United States.” Clin Microbial Rev, 1996 9:166–176.
17. Fishbein DB et al: “Rabies Virus,” in Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R (Eds): Principles and Practices of Infectious
Diseases, ed 4, Churchill Livingstone, New York, 1995 pp 1527–1543.
18. Op cit 16.
19. Thomas L. A Long Line of Cells, Book of the Month Club, New York, 1990, p. 40.
20. Gomez-AJ. “Rabies: a possible explanation for the vampire legend.” Neurology 1998 51:856–59.
21. Gastaut H and Miletto G. “Interpretation physiopathgenique des symptoms de la rage furieuse.” Rev Neurol
(Paris), 1955 92:5–25.
22. Baker AB and Baker LH. Clinical neurology,vol 2, Harper Row, New York, 1978 28–31.
23. Op cit 20.
24. Webster B. “The world of bats: scientists uncloak the myths.” New York Times, 27 November 1984.
25. Op cit 7.
Published in Regulatory Focus, June 2011. Copyright © 2011 Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society.
Bats, Rabies and Vampires
Meanwhile, “the saliva cannot be swallowed, so frothing at the mouth and vomiting
of bloody fluid occurs.”22 The spasms are generally triggered by some stimuli, such as air,
water, light, noises, odor, a minimal excitement or the sight of mirrors. A rabid patient
may attack anyone who approaches, biting and tearing the individual like a wild beast.
During these episodes, the patient’s appearance is frightening, and has been compared to
that of a furious wolf.23
Final Thoughts
Despite their eerie, gargoyle-like, almost supernatural appearance, bats are gentle, keep
scrupulously clean and have a measure of intelligence that scientists equate with dogs.24
They can be easily trained, and only rarely transmit rabies.
However, bats can be rabid and are best avoided. This is especially true for bats that
are active during the day or found in a place where they are not usually seen, like in your
home or on the lawn. You cannot tell that a bat has rabies just by looking at it. Presence of
the disease can only be confirmed by laboratory testing.25
References
1. Frick WF et al. “An emerging disease causes regional population collapse of a common North American bat
species.” Science 2010 Vol 329(6):679–82.
2. Editorial: “A destructive epidemic.” New York Times, 9 August 2010.
3. Streicker DG et al. “Host phylogeny constraints crossspecies emergence and establishment of rabies virus in
bats.” Science 2010 Vol 329 (6):676–79.
4. Venable N. Bats. West Virginia University Wildlife Publication, December 1999.
5. San Francisco State University (http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall99Projects/vampire.htm) Accessed
31 January 2012.
6. Arkive Images of life on earth (http://www.arkive.org/common-vampire-bat/desmodus-rotundus/info.
html). Accessed 11 August 2010.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/education/index.html).
Accessed 11 August 2010.
8. Patterson KD. Rabies, in Kiple KF (Ed): The Cambridge World History of Human Disease. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge MA, 1993.
9. Kaplan MM and Meslin FX: A Brief History of Rabies, in Microbe Hunters, Then and Now, Medi-Ed Press,
Bloomington, IL, 1996.
10. Geison GL. The Private Science of Louis Pasteur. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1995.
11. Op cit 9.
12. Sherman M. “Rabies, a history and update on prophylaxis regimens.” US Pharmacist, 2000 (15):3041.
13. Fishbein DB and Robinson LE. Rabies, NEJM 1993 329:1632–38.
14. Ibid.
15. Human Rabies—Virginia, 2009, MMWR 2010 59:1236–1238.
16. Smith JS. “New aspects of rabies with emphasis on epidemiology, diagnosis and prevention of disease in the
United States.” Clin Microbial Rev, 1996 9:166–176.
17. Fishbein DB et al: “Rabies Virus,” in Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R (Eds): Principles and Practices of Infectious
Diseases, ed 4, Churchill Livingstone, New York, 1995 pp 1527–1543.
18. Op cit 16.
19. Thomas L. A Long Line of Cells, Book of the Month Club, New York, 1990, p. 40.
20. Gomez-AJ. “Rabies: a possible explanation for the vampire legend.” Neurology 1998 51:856–59.
21. Gastaut H and Miletto G. “Interpretation physiopathgenique des symptoms de la rage furieuse.” Rev Neurol
(Paris), 1955 92:5–25.
22. Baker AB and Baker LH. Clinical neurology,vol 2, Harper Row, New York, 1978 28–31.
23. Op cit 20.
24. Webster B. “The world of bats: scientists uncloak the myths.” New York Times, 27 November 1984.
25. Op cit 7.
Published in Regulatory Focus, June 2011. Copyright © 2011 Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society.
Bats, Rabies and Vampires