Bat rabies: first case detected in the Oise department

On June 10, 2015, the Pasteur Institute confirmed a case of rabies in a sick bat found in the town of Gouvieux, in the southern part of the Oise department. The two people who discovered the animal and handled it were immediately referred to the department’s rabies center, located within the Compiègne Hospital, to undergo preventive treatment. Each year, some 17 million people worldwide receive such treatment after exposure to animals suspected of being infected with the rabies virus. In France, autochthonous cases of rabies are now observed only in bats. Of the more than 2,000 bats tested since 1989, about 60 cases have been detected through the national surveillance network. In humans, the last case of rabies acquired in metropolitan France dates back to 1924. However, in 2008, one person was infected in French Guiana, likely as a result of a bat bite. Ultimately, though, the transmission of rabies from bats to other species—including humans—remains very rare in Europe. In light of this, the Oise Prefecture is reiterating the safety guidelines that apply when sick, injured, or dead bats are found. These protected animals must not be caught, touched, or handled. However, their discovery must be reported to the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP). As for fox rabies, it has been eradicated in France since 2001. The only confirmed cases of animal rabies in France in recent years are linked to the illegal importation of dogs or cats from countries where the disease is endemic, such as North Africa. Internationally, canine rabies* continues to kill 160 people every day—some 59,000 victims per year—at an estimated cost of 7.6 billion euros. The next World Rabies Day will take place on September 28, 2015. A global vaccination program for dogs will be launched at the end of the year and led by WOAH.   * http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0003709