Bat rabies confirmed in county

A rare strain of bat rabies has been confirmed in Shropshire after two people were bitten by a wounded creature, it was revealed today.

The female Daubenton's bat was taken to a laboratory in Surrey where scientists confirmed the presence of European Bat Lyssavirus (EBLV) - a strain of bat rabies.

Although the risk to human health is minimal after treatment, a man died in Scotland in 2002 after contracting the virus.

He was one of four people who have died in northern Europe in the last 30 years.

Experts from Defra said the grounded bat, which has since died, was discovered in the Stokesay area on Sunday by a member of the public who took it to an animal hospital for treatment.

The two people, one from Much Wenlock and the other from Birmingam, who were bitten have both received post-exposure rabies treatment and will be monitored over the coming days.

Only five cases of bat rabies have been identified in the UK in the last 11 years, with the last incident in September 2006.

Amy Coyte, chief executive of the Bat Conservation Trust, said: "Although the risk of the EBLV is very low, we work hard to ensure that good practice is always followed to minimise the risk even further.

People can live in harmony with bats and every summer thousands of people enjoy venturing out to experience bats in their local environment."

Dr Harsh Duggal, for the Health Protection Agency, said: "With prompt treatment, bites, even from infected bats, are not known to cause infection in humans. In the majority of cases these are encounters with Britain's most common bat species, the pipistrelles, which so far have not been found to carry the virus."

Bats are a protected species and must not be killed or their roost damaged.

Anyone who believes their pets may have had contact with this specific bat should call Animal Health Office at Worcester on (01905) 767111, or the Health Protection Agency on 020 8200 6868 for human contacts.

Anyone who finds a sick or ailing bat can seek advice from the Bat Conservation Trust on 0845 1300 228.

Exclusive by Rural Affairs Editor Nathan Rous

What to do if you're at risk:

European Bat Lyssaviruses (EBLVs) 1 and 2, commonly referred to as bat rabies, are two strains of rabies-related viruses found in bats across Northern Europe.

The risk of EBLV infection to humans is thought to be low. But since 1977 there have been four human deaths from rabies in Europe attributed to EBLV infections, all in cases where the human had been bitten or scratched by bats and had not received rabies vaccination.

Six UK bats have tested positive for rabies in the past 11 years, in Sussex, Lancashire, Surrey, Oxfordshire, and now Shropshire. About 200 bats a year are tested.

By law, if you suspect any animal, including a bat, of having rabies, you must report it to your local Defra Animal Health Office or local authority. Anyone finding a bat which appears to be sick or ailing should not approach or handle it.

In the event of possible exposure, first, and as soon as possible after the incident, clean the wound by washing with soap or detergent under a running tap for several minutes.

Do not scrub the wound. Then flush out all traces of soap. Additional cleansing of the wound site with an alcohol base or other disinfectant is also recommended.