4 ms·

In a large library bats are probably quite harmless but they can and do occasionally transmit rabies: "Bats are responsible for roughly 7 in 10 rabies deaths a

In a large library bats are probably quite harmless but they can and do occasionally transmit rabies: "Bats are responsible for roughly 7 in 10 rabies deaths among people who are infected with the rabies virus in the United States, [..]" https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0611-bats-rabies.html https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0611-bats-rabies.ht...

simion314 7y ago
From my understanding the bats only enter the library at night, hunt and leave.
- asguy 7y ago
  The article says they make their home behind the book shelves of the library, and come out at night.
  - simion314 7y ago
    Thanks, my bad, I read the article but for some reason my mind created the wrong image.
simias 7y ago
Rabies is very rare in Europe nowadays.
- HarryHirsch 7y ago
  That's because the main vector was the fox. The vaccination campaign that was started in the 1980s was extremely successful.
  - LolWolf 7y ago
    Oooh, I did not know this and love to read more about it! Do you have a good source/expository article?
    - HarryHirsch 7y ago
      Here's a pretty thorough report from the European Union: https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/sci-com_scah_out80_en.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/sci-c... The NY Times had something about the first trials in Switzerland: https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/08/us/use-of-a-live-vaccine-in-bait-stems-rabies-in-a-swiss-area.html https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/08/us/use-of-a-live-vaccine-...
      - LolWolf 7y ago
        These are great, thanks!
ashtonkem 7y ago
You wouldn’t have to worry about rabies too much in a stable population like that. If they’re living their lives inside the library, the only risk would be if a human with rabies entered the library and was bitten by a bat; a very low probability event.
vasco 7y ago
Rabies is officially erradicated in Portugal since the 1960's. I've searched for official data at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data?s=rabies https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data?s=rabies Most cases (we're talking 0-3 in a given year) in Europe seem to be imported from tourists or immigrants returning after being bit by a wild animal. This was the case in 2011 in Portugal after a dog bite in Guinea-Bissau (article in portuguese): https://www.publico.pt/2012/03/31/jornal/portugal-registou-caso-mortal-de-raiva-no-ano-passado-24288183 https://www.publico.pt/2012/03/31/jornal/portugal-registou-c... So looking at the data, it seems the little bats have been harmless for at least 60 years.

simion314 7y ago

From my understanding the bats only enter the library at night, hunt and leave.

asguy 7y ago
The article says they make their home behind the book shelves of the library, and come out at night.
- simion314 7y ago
  Thanks, my bad, I read the article but for some reason my mind created the wrong image.

simias 7y ago

Rabies is very rare in Europe nowadays.

HarryHirsch 7y ago
That's because the main vector was the fox. The vaccination campaign that was started in the 1980s was extremely successful.
- LolWolf 7y ago
  Oooh, I did not know this and love to read more about it! Do you have a good source/expository article?
  - HarryHirsch 7y ago
    Here's a pretty thorough report from the European Union: https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/sci-com_scah_out80_en.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/sci-c... The NY Times had something about the first trials in Switzerland: https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/08/us/use-of-a-live-vaccine-in-bait-stems-rabies-in-a-swiss-area.html https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/08/us/use-of-a-live-vaccine-...
    - LolWolf 7y ago
      These are great, thanks!

ashtonkem 7y ago

You wouldn’t have to worry about rabies too much in a stable population like that. If they’re living their lives inside the library, the only risk would be if a human with rabies entered the library and was bitten by a bat; a very low probability event.

vasco 7y ago

Rabies is officially erradicated in Portugal since the 1960's. I've searched for official data at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data?s=rabies https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data?s=rabies Most cases (we're talking 0-3 in a given year) in Europe seem to be imported from tourists or immigrants returning after being bit by a wild animal. This was the case in 2011 in Portugal after a dog bite in Guinea-Bissau (article in portuguese): https://www.publico.pt/2012/03/31/jornal/portugal-registou-caso-mortal-de-raiva-no-ano-passado-24288183 https://www.publico.pt/2012/03/31/jornal/portugal-registou-c... So looking at the data, it seems the little bats have been harmless for at least 60 years.