Everything you wanted to know about bats and rabies — and maybe a few things you never thought to ask.
07.22.26
By Alyson Brokaw
Every summer and fall, headlines about rabid bats, rabies exposures, and public health alerts seem to increase in number, especially as people spend more time outside and away from work or school. Bats frequently take center stage in these stories, paired with dramatic pictures of bats with their teeth bared. With these images in our head, it’s easy to come away wondering just how worried you should be. How common is rabies in bats and why are bats such a concern? What should you do if you encounter a bat that seems sick or injured?
The good news is that research has established evidence-based answers to questions about bats and rabies, including best practices that can help you safely avoid this very serious disease. Let’s replace fear with facts. Here’s everything you wanted to know about bats and rabies — and maybe a few things you never thought to ask.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a deadly, viral disease that attacks the central nervous system in mammals, causing fatal inflammation of the brain. It spreads when saliva or brain tissue of an infected animal contacts broken skin or mucous membranes (like the eyes or mouth). This most commonly happens through bites or scratches from an infected animal.
All mammals can get rabies, including wildlife, pets, livestock, and humans. Different variants of the virus are linked to specific animal carriers, known as disease reservoirs. The most common variants in the United States* are linked to bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. Depending on where you live, certain variants may be more common than others. For example, raccoon rabies is most common in the eastern United States, skunk variants across parts of the central and western U.S., and fox variants in parts of the southwest, Alaska, and northern Canada. Bat variants are more widespread, distributed throughout North America. Some mammals, such as opossums, rodents, and rabbits are not considered reservoirs, though they can also be infected, albeit rarely.
Rabies symptoms present in two different forms. The better-known form, referred to as “furious rabies” causes aggression, hallucinations, confusion, and hydrophobia (fear of drinking water). However, animals suffering from rabies may also display a form called paralytic or “dumb” rabies. These symptoms include unnatural tameness, weakness, and paralysis as the virus attacks the brain. Once symptoms appear, there is no cure for rabies. The good news is that post-exposure treatment via vaccination is highly effective at preventing rabies in animals and people.
Protecting healthy bat populations and their habitat is itself part of protecting human health: fewer bats displaced into human structures means fewer opportunities for contact in the first place.
A common misconception is that bats can carry and transmit rabies without getting sick themselves. This is untrue. Bats experience the same symptoms as other mammals and only transmit the virus during active infection. But that doesn’t mean bats aren’t remarkable. Humans and other animals need exposure to deactivated virus and a boost of extra antibodies to prevent getting sick if exposed to rabies. At least some bats don’t need this extra step. Big brown bats are able to produce their own anti-rabies antibodies after natural exposure. This makes them more resistant to getting sick from rabies. However, if an infection does take hold, bats can transmit the disease to others and will eventually die from it like other mammals.
A Tale of Bats and Confusing Stats
For the past 50 years, there have been fewer than 10 human cases of rabies reported each year in the United States. However, any potential rabies exposure should be taken seriously, and bats are no exception.
Bats are the most common species to test positively for rabies, but they are also the most common species tested. According to the rabies surveillance data from the CDC in 2023 (the most recent year for which data was published), bats accounted for 1,298 rabies-positive wildlife samples, followed by raccoons (1,085 positive samples). But when accounting for all bats tested over the year (nearly 24,000 specimens), this means only about 5% of tested bats were rabid. In contrast, 10% of submitted raccoons, 19% of submitted foxes, and 20% of submitted skunks returned positive rabies tests.
It is important to remember that simply being near a bat is not cause for alarm, especially if both you and the bat are outdoors, awake, and behaving normally.
So why are bats most associated with human cases of rabies? One reason is that people often only notice bats when something is wrong. A grounded, lost, or injured bat is much more likely to be noticed than one flying overhead. Another challenge is the difficulty in diagnosing a rabid bat by its behavior. While some rabid bats show the most recognizable aggression associated with rabies, sick bats also often show symptoms of “dumb” rabies, appearing weak and unusually tame. As a result, people may be more willing to approach or handle them.
Unlike bites from larger animals, bat bites and scratches can be small and may go unnoticed or appear insignificant. Unrecognized or disregarded exposure means a person may be less likely to seek medical treatment. For these same reasons, it is also recommended that in addition to known direct contact with a bat, any potential contact — such as a finding a bat in a room with someone sleeping, unattended children, or anyone who could not confidently rule out exposure — should be taken seriously and discussed with your medical health care provider.
Taking possible rabies exposure seriously is important because without treatment, it is deadly. But a clear understanding of how rarely it spreads to people, and what a small proportion of bats are potential spreaders can reduce unnecessary fear of bats and help people make calm decisions that keep them safe.
Avoiding and Evaluating Risk
Like with many things, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to rabies. So how do you evaluate your potential risk, avoid rabies exposure, and keep yourself and your family safe?
First, it is important to remember that simply being near a bat is not cause for alarm, especially if both you and the bat are outdoors, awake, and behaving normally. Many people become concerned after experiencing bats swooping overhead or having walked through an area where bats were roosting. Remember that rabies requires direct contact, so a bat flying by overhead is not a risk. Current research also suggests that rabies prevalence in healthy, wild bat populations in the U.S. and Canada is very low. Depending on the species, between 0.6% and 3% of wild bats may carry rabies. So if you enjoy watching bats foraging over your backyard at night, you can relax and appreciate the free insect control.
There are many ways to safely coexist with bats and other wildlife. Keep pets up to date on rabies vaccinations, to both protect them from wildlife rabies exposure and help stop transmission to people. Minimize activities that might encourage wildlife to come in close proximity with humans, such as leaving trash cans open or feeding wildlife near your home. If bats are frequently entering your home, or roosting in your attic or roof, take steps to humanely exclude them to minimize potential contact, and be sure to seal entry points once bats have left, so the same roost doesn’t invite them right back in the next season.
Of course, sometimes wildlife encounters are unavoidable. If you encounter a bat or other wildlife behaving strangely — such as appearing disoriented, unable to walk, acting aggressively, unusually tame, or nocturnal animals active in the middle of the day — avoid contact and notify your local animal control or health department for guidance. If you must handle a bat to move it away from a busy area, always wear thick gloves and avoid direct skin contact.
Any known or potential direct contact between a person and a bat should be taken seriously. Bat teeth are very small and sharp, and a bite may not always be obvious. Wash any wounds with soap and water, and consult a health care provider to get information on post-exposure prophylaxis (a series of shots). If the suspected rabid animal is still alive, keep your distance and contact your local animal control for help. If the animal is already dead, use a shovel or gloves to place the animal in a heavy plastic bag and store in a cool area away from people and other animals while awaiting instructions from your local health department.
Final Reminders
The most important takeaway: when in doubt, contact your healthcare provider or local public health department. Rabies is a serious disease, but prompt medical attention is 100% effective at preventing illness.
If you do encounter a bat or other animal that appears injured, grounded, orphaned, or in need of help, don’t attempt a rescue yourself. Instead, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or bat rescue organization for assistance. Unless there is a known or suspected rabies exposure, these professionals can help ensure the animal gets the help it needs .
Bats are an important part of healthy ecosystems, and most pose little risk to people if left undisturbed. Protecting healthy bat populations and their habitat is itself part of protecting human health: fewer bats displaced into human structures means fewer opportunities for contact in the first place. The best approach is to remain informed, compassionate, cautious, and prepared. By respecting wildlife from a safe distance, avoiding direct contact, and seeking expert advice when needed, you can help protect both human and animal health.
*For purposes of brevity and clarity, the statistics and information in this article are focused on the United States and Canada. While much of the information remains relevant in many areas around world, specifics on infection statistics, exposure risk, how to report, and where to seek treatment will vary. You can find more information on global rabies via the World Health Organization or your specific country’s public health agencies.
Alyson Brokaw, PhD is a behavioral ecologist, sensory biologist, science communicator, and a regular contributor to The Bat Pub. When not talking about bats, she can be found cuddling with her dog, exploring her local Pennsylvania woods and throwing plastic on the ultimate frisbee field.
