AI Generated Image
Woman wakes up to bat trying to crawl into her mouth: 'I was screaming repeatedly'
WLWT • • health
Key Points:
- Dr. Krista Edelman, a gastroenterologist in Richmond, Virginia, woke up to find a bat attempting to enter her mouth, prompting her to take immediate action to address potential rabies exposure.
- Edelman trapped the bat using a bucket and sought advice from an infectious disease doctor, who emphasized the urgency of rabies treatment due to the proximity of exposure to the brain.
- She visited the emergency department at St. Mary’s Hospital, where medical staff stressed the importance of assuming the worst in bat encounters, as bat bites can be small and unnoticed but carry a fatal rabies risk.
- Virginia health officials noted an increase in bat submissions for rabies testing this year but no rise in positive cases, recommending prompt trapping of bats and contacting local health authorities for guidance.
- The bat tested negative for rabies, and Edelman shared her experience to raise awareness about proper response to potential rabies exposure and the importance of quick action.
