Health officials say residents of a Crystal Lake home have been recommended to undergo treatment after they were exposed to a rabid bat found in their house.
The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) said Thursday that the Crystal Lake household came into contact with the bat that was found in their home and the McHenry County Animal Control responded.
Animal control collected the bat and it was submitted for testing. The testing showed the bat was positive for rabies, which is the first rabid bat of the 2024 season in the county.
The household members exposed to the rabid animal were recommended to begin postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment.
MCDH said that rabies in Illinois is primarily contracted from bats. It is typically not contagious from person to person.
The rabies virus is transmitted through direct contact with saliva or brain and nervous system tissue from an infected animal.
Rabies can be fatal in humans if left untreated.
The MCDH recommends that residents who find a bat in their home contain it in a room by closing the door and sealing any gaps at the base with a towel.
If the bat is in a main living area, a bucket should be placed over the bat to contain it.
The MCDH Animal Control should be notified by calling 815-459-6222 and a physician should also be consulted.
Health officials said that it is important the animal is alive or recently deceased with the head intact for reliable rabies testing.
Those who are exposed to a rabid animal will need to be administered PEP, a four-series treatment that includes immunoglobulins and vaccine, as soon as possible after the exposure, the MCDH said.
Many types of bats have small teeth which may leave marks that disappear quickly. Bats become more active during the warmer months.
To minimize bats getting into homes, the health department said that doors, windows and vents should have screens and be securely framed. Chimneys should be capped and gaps around utility lines should be plugged.
Residents should not touch, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter, the health department said.
Maryellen Howell, Director of MCDH’s Veterinary Public Health Division, recommends residents to avoid direct contact with bats and to take steps to bat-proof their homes.
“Taking a hands-off approach to all wild animals, especially bats, is the best way to reduce the risk of exposure,” Howell said.
“Bats can squeeze through small openings, so bat-proofing your home by replacing loose screens or screens with holes adds an extra layer of protection,” Howell added.