California teacher dies of rabies after bitten by a bat in classroom

An art teacher from California has died of rabies after she was bitten by a bat in the classroom. The teacher reportedly noticed the bat in the classroom, and while trying to scoop it up and take it outside, was bitten by it.Though Fresno County has confirmed the passing away of a resident from rabies, after a suspected bat bite, they declined to identify the victim, Today reported.

A friend of the deceased told The Fresno Bee that the person who died was Leah Seneng, a 60-year-old artist and art teacher at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos. In a media briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 26, Joe Prado, assistant director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, stated that the victim got exposed to rabies in mid-October. The victim went to a Fresno County emergency room last week, and was admitted to the hospital on November 18. On Nov. 22, the victim passed away.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It spreads to humans and pets primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal.

Rabies in humans are rare, and the last case in Fresno County happened in 1992.

The victim’s friend Laura Splotch told KFSN that she didn’t want to hurt the bat, and was trying to scoop it up and move away from the classroom.

Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system, which leads to severe brain disease and death, if medical care is not received before symptoms start.

According to the CDC, in the US, more than 90% of reported cases of rabies in animals occur in wildlife. At least 7 out of Americans who died from rabies in the US were infected by bats.

Symptoms

The symptoms of rabies only start to show up after the rabies virus reaches the brain. The incubation period (the time between exposure and the appearance of symptoms) may last for weeks to months. It also varies based on the location of the exposure site, its severity, the age of the patient, and whether the patient has ever received a rabies vaccine.

The initial symptoms of rabies include weakness, fever, headache, or discomfort at the site of the bite.

The symptoms in humans include one or more of the following:

• Insomnia
• Confusion
• Anxiety
• Agitation
• Delirium
• Hallucinations
• Hydrophobia (fear of water)
• Hypersalivation
• Seizures

Prevention is the best cure for rabies. Keep your distance from wildlife, and do not approach injured animals, instead contact the animal control. Ensure your pets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccines. In case of exposure watch the bites or scratches with soap and water, and seek immediate medical care.