What is Australian bat lyssavirus?

Australian bat lyssavirus is a virus that can spread from bats to humans, causing serious illness. Australian bat lyssavirus is closely related to the rabies virus, which is another type of lyssavirus.

Australian bat lyssavirus infection is rare. Very few cases of Australian bat lyssavirus infection in humans have been recorded in Australia. These have all been in Queensland. Australian bat lyssavirus infection is fatal (causes death) if it is not treated before symptoms develop.

What are the symptoms of Australian bat lyssavirus infection?

Symptoms of Australian bat lyssavirus infection are similar to those caused by rabies.

At first, symptoms of Australian bat lyssavirus infection are like those of the flu. They include:

• headache
• fever
• fatigue (tiredness)

The illness then quickly progresses to paralysis, delirium (a sudden change in your thinking and behaviour), seizures and death within 1 to 2 weeks.

Symptoms may start at any time from a few days to several years after contact with the virus.

What causes Australian bat lyssavirus infection?

Some Australian bats carry Australian bat lyssavirus. They can then pass it to humans via a bite or scratch.

Any bat in Australia, including flying foxes and fruit bats, can potentially carry Australian bat lyssavirus. You can't tell if a bat has the virus just by the way it looks or acts.

Australian bat lyssavirus has not been found in bats outside of Australia. Overseas bats can carry and pass on other lyssaviruses, including rabies.

The virus spreads from infected bats to people through bites or scratches. It can also spread if the bat's saliva comes into contact with your:

• eyes
• nose
• mouth
• broken skin

Living, playing or walking near bat roosting areas does not increase your chance of catching this virus.

Australian bat lyssavirus isn't passed on through contact with bat:

• faeces (poo)
• urine (wee)
• blood

Who is at risk of Australian bat lyssavirus infection?

People who handle bats in Australia have an increased chance of Australian bat lyssavirus infection.

When should I see my doctor?

How is Australian bat lyssavirus infection diagnosed?

Your doctor will talk with you about what happened and ask if you have any symptoms.

Your doctor may:

• test your saliva
• do blood tests
• take a biopsy (a small sample of skin) from the back of your neck
• test your spinal fluid with a lumbar puncture

Australian bat lyssavirus infection is a nationally notifiable disease. This means that if you have the infection, your doctor will tell your local public health authority. The Department of Health needs to watch and track all cases of Australian bat lyssavirus infection to find outbreaks and improve healthcare responses.

How is Australian bat lyssavirus infection treated?

If you are bitten or scratched by a bat in Australia, you should immediately:

• wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes
• apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action after washing, such as povidone-iodine, iodine tincture, aqueous iodine solution or alcohol (ethanol)
• get medical help as soon as possible

The doctor will treat your wound and check if there's any chance of infection.

Even if you have had the rabies vaccine, you should follow these steps. There is no treatment for Australian bat lyssavirus infection once symptoms have started.

If there's a chance that you have the infection, you may need treatment. This includes a combination of rabies immunoglobulin (antibody) and rabies vaccine.

If you have never had the rabies vaccine, you will need an injection of rabies immunoglobulin as soon as possible. You will also need a series of either 4 or 5 rabies vaccine injections over one month.

If you have had a rabies vaccine before, you will need 2 more doses of vaccine.

If you were bitten on your head or neck, you will need to be vaccinated within 48 hours.

What are the complications of Australian bat lyssavirus infection?

People who get symptoms of Australian bat lyssavirus infection usually die from the disease.

Can Australian bat lyssavirus infection be prevented?

You may need vaccination if your work involves contact with bats and flying foxes. Talk to your doctor before beginning work with animals to ensure that you get the right advice about vaccinations.

Otherwise, the best way to avoid Australian bat lyssavirus infection is by not touching bats. Ensure that your children know that they should not touch bats.

Only people who have been trained in handling bats and are vaccinated against rabies should ever touch bats or flying foxes.

Australian bat lyssavirus vaccine

Vaccination is your best protection against Australian bat lyssavirus infection. Because Australian bat lyssavirus is from the same 'family', the vaccination is the same as the one given for rabies.

You can get the vaccine before being exposed to lyssavirus. This is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). You can also have the vaccine after exposure, as part of your treatment.

What should I do if I find an injured or dead bat?

If you find an injured bat or flying fox, do not try to rescue it. Contact WIRES wildlife rescue on 1300 094 737. They will have trained staff who can deal with bats safely.

If you need to, gently place a box or washing basket over the bat. This will help protect people in the area while you wait for someone from the rescue group. Remove any pets or children from the area around the bat.

If you find a dead bat, do not touch it. Instead, use a shovel to help dispose of it.

Resources and support

To learn more about Australian bat lyssavirus infection, visit the Department of Health's page on lyssaviruses.

If you want more information about Australian bat lyssavirus infection, or need advice on what to do next, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to speak with a registered nurse, 24 hours, 7 days a week (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).

Languages other than English

Health Translations has information about Australian bat lyssavirus infection in many community languages.