Lyssavirus...should I be concerned?

[catman]

G'day all, in Australia and particularly our part of this state of Queensland there is a major public health issue with two bat borne diseases, the so called 'Hendra' virus and the rabies like 'lyssavirus' and just in the last day a young boy from North Queensland succumbed to 'lyssavirus'.

These bats known commonly as 'Flying Foxes' as everywhere of a night time. In fact they are in our neighbours trees only a few metres away right now. Their pungent urine is plainly detectable by nose.

The only 'reliable' method of infection is by scratching or biting but apparently it is also theoretically possible to inhale the virus through their urine, which is why I'm worried.

These bats are a bit of a political football right now in our area, and the very close proximity of these animals to where I'm siting right now has me worried. Some good infornmation on this subject is here: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Lyssavirus?open and here: http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/guideline/rabies.html Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[Hyperion]

Hard to say Felix, the reference to 'political football' sounds like the 'exterminate them' lobby has clashed with the 'leave nature alone' lobby?

Maybe have a word with the local public health department maybe? - see what their take is on the subject.

 

[thomo57]

I understand your concern Felix.
When I lived in Mackay, between there and Sarina in the afternoon the sky would be almost black from the flying foxes heading out for a nightly feed.
Literally hundreds of thousands of them.
I think they nested in the mangrove areas during the day around there.

I think the first Hendra case was in the Mackay area.
It was identified in several horses and then the trainer contracted it and subsequently died.

Not an easy fix but I don't think mass slaughter is the remedy as the fruit bats help pollination of trees etc.
I know they tuck into any fruit trees and the fruit growers want to decimate them but for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and the reaction may be something that we aren't aware of.

 

[Robinhawaii]

Hi Felix:

I think the chance of inhaling a viable virus decreases exponentially ever inch you get from the source, however I suppose it would be possible to get hit on the face if you walked past the tree. Maybe get the jab, one less thing to worry about.

Take care,

Rob

 

[bhundu]

They're in my backyard every night too Felix. I'm not worried about them. I just don't look up when they fly over.

 

[bhundu]

I've seen the colonies have to move into areas because their previous trees were removed by housing development. It is indeed a hot debate in our country, especially after a death caused by a fruit bat carried virus. People want to exterminate local colonies.

I'm remembering about a maximum of ten deaths from Hendra and Lyssa combined over the last 20 years. It's more likely around six. For all the causes of early death in our country, alcohol, cars, tobacco; I am completely against any idea of culling as any kind of priority. As Thomo mentioned they play an important pollination roll to a multi-million dollar fruit industry; let aloe our native trees/plants.

How many flying mammals do you have in your backyard? People?

Returning boomerangs were training for killing boomerangs for these critters. Tasted good on the coals.

 

[Hyperion]

How many flying mamals do you have in your backyard? People?

We get the occasional bat - I saw one circling a lamp post one night, catching moths I think.