California teacher dies from suspected rabid bat bite

Rabies severity and disease course

• Rabies is described as ~100% fatal once symptoms appear; survival after onset is vanishingly rare and highly disabling.
• Several comments detail the progression: virus travels slowly along nerves, then rapidly destroys the brain, leading to severe confusion, fear, hydrophobia, and a prolonged, horrifying death.
• Some discussion notes rare documented survivals and possible asymptomatic infections, but these are framed as exceptional and not actionable for care decisions.

Exposure, bites, and when to seek care

• Consensus: any wild animal bite (or saliva exposure) should be taken very seriously; seek medical attention immediately.
• Bats are highlighted as a special case: even unnoticed contact (e.g., bat in a bedroom while sleeping) is considered an indication for evaluation and usually post‑exposure prophylaxis.
• Squirrels and small rodents are said to be extremely unlikely rabies vectors; more concern is raised about infections and, in some regions, plague.

Vaccines: pre‑ vs post‑exposure

• Pre‑exposure vaccination: typically for high‑risk jobs or travel; involves a short series of injections. Some report mild experiences; others mention doctors reluctant to give it and rare but non‑zero risks.
• Post‑exposure protocol: immunoglobulin infiltrated around the wound plus multiple vaccine doses. Reported as uncomfortable but vastly preferable to the disease. Old “30 shots in the stomach” regimen is said to be obsolete.

Handling bats and wildlife

• Recommended: avoid touching bats at all; if one is in the house, trap it without direct contact (e.g., towel/blanket + container) and contact health authorities for testing.
• Testing is usually done on brain tissue after euthanasia; non‑brain tests are noted as less reliable.
• Some commenters describe handling bats with gloves or bare‑hand techniques, but others strongly advise against any direct contact.

Costs and access to care

• US commenters report extremely high costs: thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, especially for immunoglobulin and ER‑based care; one family’s treatment was billed at over $100,000.
• Others note much lower costs in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and easier access to pre‑exposure vaccination abroad.
• Debate centers on why vaccines and treatment are so expensive in the US and how billing opacity worsens decisions.

Risk perception and public‑health strategy

• One camp emphasizes the near‑certain lethality and urges aggressive treatment for any plausible exposure, especially with bats.
• Another camp argues actual incidence in some regions (e.g., Europe) is extremely low, warns against fear‑driven overreaction, and stresses rational risk comparison with more common killers.
• Discussion of “why not vaccinate everyone” cites: low incidence in high‑income countries, finite supply, cost, non‑lifelong immunity, and the availability of effective post‑exposure regimens.