# chance of being bitten by a bat without noticing it (rabies question) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939 "2013-07-30T19:57:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/1 "2013-07-30T19:57:59Z")
So, I was car camping in Wisconsin last weekend and traipsing to and from the bathroom in pitch darkness. I noticed a pain on my shin, and upon closer inspection found two roundish shallow marks and a third small abrasion there. There was no blood, but the wounds were shallow and a little bit shiny with clear serum. The marks were a cm apart. I didn’t notice any small animals or anything hitting my shin. I went to the doctor yesterday, and she didn’t think it was anything (after consulting with an infectious disease expert) because I didn’t notice any animals near my leg, and didn’t warrant the rabies shots. I am still stressing about this though. Is it possible to get bit and not realize it? I don’t remember hitting my shins anywhere enough for them to get abraded. I noticed the marks because they hurt that night. When I noticed the marks I used a hand sanitizer that consists of 70% ethyl alcohol and kept rubbing it into the wound. Anyway, I am embarassed about being so paranoid, and I don’t know what to do now. I’d like to just go to a travel clinic and pay for rabies immunization just for peace of mind, but they are expensive. Would it help a little if I got the pre-exposure shots? ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/2 "2013-07-30T20:00:55Z")
Seems unlikely you could be bitten on the shin by a bat. Were there an abundance of bats? Or other reason to suspect a bat bite? ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/3 "2013-07-30T20:37:28Z")
No, but it was dark. I don’t know why I thought of bats. I usually don’t think about rabies or bats and I go backpacking a lot. However, I’ve never had two stinging puncture like marks appear out of nowhere before either. There must be a reason I’m stressing about this. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/4 "2013-07-30T21:05:02Z")
The only bats I’m aware of that tend to stay low, on the ground or near it, are vampire bats, but they live in the southern hemisphere, nowhere near Wisconsin. Bats in your area are flyers, they’ll be above your head. Most likely, you bumped against a twig or some other woody obstacle in the dark, maybe something with thorns? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/5 "2013-07-30T21:13:16Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Bats in your area are flyers, they’ll be above your head. Unless they are sick and flopping around on the ground. The shots are not painful. The trick is getting your insurance company to pay for them. When I was bitten by a raccoon I went to the Health Department and picked the stuff up. Physicians can’t afford to keep it around. I think I’d check with my Doctor again. Probably sticks like Broomstick says, but rabies is serious stuff. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/6 "2013-07-30T21:21:01Z")
The pre-exposure shots are part of the treatment for post-exposure too. The difference is post exposure treatment of rabies gets an extra dose of immunoglobulins, which is not administered to those that were vaccinated. Go to the doctor first, or again. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/7 "2013-07-30T23:33:26Z")
I do not think an experienced physician would find your story convincing enough for a post exposure prophylaxis regimen. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/8 "2013-07-30T23:34:37Z")
I’ve read on a couple of occasions of people being bitten by bats and not feeling it. I don’t know how far apart their teeth are and I’m not a doctor. But it would seem very possible to be bitten by a bat without feeling it. (Sorry, I don’t want to make you nervous.) Did the doctor have some other hypothesis of what would have caused those marks? Did she just say “not a bat” or was there another explanation? ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/9 "2013-07-30T23:40:25Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > I do not think an experienced physician would find your story convincing enough for a post exposure prophylaxis regimen. I agree, but can you explain why? I mean this isn’t just malaria if they’re wrong, it’s automatic death. Even Ebola has a higher survival rate. I want to be able to sleep at night! The logical side of me says I’m being totally silly, which is why I’m embarassed. ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/10 "2013-07-30T23:44:12Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I’ve read on a couple of occasions of people being bitten by bats and not feeling it. I don’t know how far apart their teeth are and I’m not a doctor. But it would seem very possible to be bitten by a bat without feeling it. (Sorry, I don’t want to make you nervous.) > > Did the doctor have some other hypothesis of what would have caused those marks? Did she just say “not a bat” or was there another explanation? She suggested a garter snake or something, but I would have noticed a snake sooner than a bat! Bats have next to no mass. I slept in the vehicle with the windows cracked an inch. For all I know, one snuck in and bit me while I was sleeping. The spacing of the “puncture marks” is consistent with a bat bite, approx. 1 cm. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/11 "2013-07-30T23:48:11Z")
The spacing is also consistent with thorns. However, last weekend there was a full moon, so if any kind of were-animal or were-plant bit you then you’ll be having some problems around three weeks from now. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/12 "2013-07-30T23:55:27Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > For all I know, one snuck in and bit me while I was sleeping. No. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/13 "2013-07-30T23:57:54Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > She suggested a garter snake or something, but I would have noticed a snake sooner than a bat! Bats have next to no mass. I slept in the vehicle with the windows cracked an inch. For all I know, one snuck in and bit me while I was sleeping. The spacing of the “puncture marks” is consistent with a bat bite, approx. 1 cm. It could also be consistent with a spider of some sort, or some other invertebrate. And those and snakes are more common in the setting as you described (and in the anatomical area you described) than a bat. Yea, people can be bitten by bats and not noticed. But in many of those cases, the bite was not on the legs (IIRC around the face/upper body), and a dead (or live) bat was found nearby or a nest of bats was observed in the attic or immediate vicinity. And considering the restrictions placed on rabies vaccine and treatment, I doubt that a travel clinic would give you a post-exposure treatment without solid recommendation from your physician (or another physician, which would include asking public health officials). And a pre-exposure vaccination is also restricted to people with specific lifestyles and risks (John Doe walking to a travel clinic and demand a rabies pre-exposure is not going to happen). If your doctor consulted with an infectious disease doctor (and I’m assuming some public health official), then you could rest a bit easy, no? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/14 "2013-07-31T00:19:32Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > I agree, but can you explain why? I mean this isn’t just malaria if they’re wrong, it’s automatic death. Even Ebola has a higher survival rate. I want to be able to sleep at night! The logical side of me says I’m being totally silly, which is why I’m embarassed. Relax, you’d know it if there was a rabid animal biting you. The harm/risk of taking the post-exposure prophylactic is expected to be worse than the risk of you being bitten by a rabid animal that you didn’t know about. I think you stood on a branch and it flipped up and whacked your leg. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/15 "2013-07-31T00:30:16Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > Relax, you’d know it if there was a rabid animal biting you. Are you sure? I’m reminded of the girl in Wisconsin that got bit by a bat she was carrying outside (it had landed in the church). She was aware of the bite, but they must not have thought too much about it because they didn’t get shots and she got rabies a month later. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/16 "2013-07-31T00:51:03Z")
Yes, but _she was carrying a bat_. The OP didn’t see any signs of bats around your area. Similar, some well-meaning but slightly ignorant student at my last college picked up a sick bat, which later bit him. Bat died, people in charge wisely got it tested for rabies, bat was positive for it. Student had to go through post-exposure treatment (he survived, AFAIK). ---
**Author:** ![the\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/17 "2013-07-31T01:32:52Z")
Well, I’ve been bitten by the Bacardi bat, and the symptoms went away after a day at work. HTH. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/18 "2013-07-31T01:38:16Z")
I wonder if more people are hit by bats at ball games, or are bitten by bats each year? ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/19 "2013-07-31T02:12:23Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > Relax, you’d know it if there was a rabid animal biting you. > The harm/risk of taking the post-exposure prophylactic is expected to be worse than the risk of you being bitten by a rabid animal that you didn’t know about. > I think you stood on a branch and it flipped up and whacked your leg. This is absolute nonsense. First, there are many well documented cases of bat rabies in persons who never reported being bitten. Second, the harm/risk of post-exposure prophylaxis is pretty much limited to the pocket book. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939/20 "2013-07-31T02:29:35Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Student had to go through post-exposure treatment (he survived, AFAIK). As have I. I told the nurse as I dropped my pants, “I apologize for anything that I have ever done that may have offended you in any way.” The injection in my buttocks did not hurt, nor did the later ones in my arm. Go see your Doctor tomorrow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-being-bitten-by-a-bat-without-noticing-it-rabies-question/664939.md?page=2)