11-Year-Old Boy Dies of Rabies After Waking with Bat on His Face

An 11-year-old boy in Ontario, Canada, died from rabies 19 days after waking up with a bat on his nose and mouth. He showed no visible bite marks but developed vomiting, facial numbness and other symptoms before seeking care. This first fatal case in the province in over 50 years is detailed in a recent report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Experts stress that any direct contact with a bat, even without obvious scratches, warrants immediate post-exposure prophylaxis and consultation with public health authorities. Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, but prompt vaccination and rabies immune globulin can prevent the disease. Bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes carry rabies in North America, and small bat bites can be hard to notice. Health officials urge anyone who touches a wild animal to seek medical advice without delay.

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