Rabies

A bat flew into our bedroom the other night and gave us a scare. It got me researching rabies. Rabies infects the body when an infected animal, like a dog or bat, bites you and the virus gets into your body through the saliva. The virus travels through your nerves to your brain, which can take weeks or even months. Once it reaches the brain, it starts causing serious symptoms like fever, headache, confusion, and difficulty swallowing. Once symptoms start, it's nearly always fatal. That's why it's super important to get medical help right away if you think you've been exposed to rabies, even if you have no symptoms. If you have even touched a bat, you should get the rabies vaccine because they are one of the most common vectors and their bites are frequently not felt. Fortunately, the bat flew back out the window without any contact, so we are ok.