..First death by vampire bat in US

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/first-death-vampire-bat-us-175408614.html

..A teenager from Mexico became the first person in the United States to die after being bitten by a vampire bat and infected with rabies, US health authorities said on Thursday.

The 19-year-old man was a migrant farm worker who had been bitten on the heel by a vampire bat in his native Michoacan on July 15, 2010, 10 days before he left for the United States to pick sugar cane at a plantation in Louisiana.

"This case represents the first reported human death from a vampire bat rabies virus variant in the United States," said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its Morbidity and Mortality weekly report.

The unusually aggressive form of rabies had an incubation period of just 15 days, compared to the median 85 days seen in other cases of human rabies in the United States, the CDC said.

Although vampire bat populations are currently confined to Latin America, climate change could be forcing their populations northward, leading to more cases of human infection in the southern United States, the CDC warned.

The patient had never received a rabies vaccine and fell ill about two weeks after he was bitten by the blood-sucking creature.

At the end of July, after one day of working in the fields, the man sought medical help for fatigue, shoulder pain, numbness in his left hand and a drooping left eye. He soon developed respiratory distress and a 101.1-degree fever (38.4 Celsius).

"During the next several days, the patient became gradually less responsive to external stimuli, developed fixed and dilated pupils, and began having episodes of bradycardia (slow heartbeat) and hypothermia," the CDC said.

Tests showed he had developed encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. On August 20, samples of his spinal fluid confirmed a diagnosis of rabies.

A subsequent brain scan revealed severe impairment. His family decided to take him off life support and the man died shortly after.

Postmortem tests on his brain tissue "determined the variant to be a vampire bat rabies virus variant," the CDC said.

The case "highlights the growing importance of bats in public health," added the CDC, urging the public to avoid contact with vampire bats and get vaccinated if possible.

"Research suggests that the range of these bats might be expanding as a result of changes in climate," it said.

"Expansion of vampire bats into the United States likely would lead to increased bat exposures to both humans and animals (including domestic livestock and wildlife species) and substantially alter rabies virus dynamics and ecology in the southern United States."

The United States has documented a total of 32 cases of human rabies, mostly from a canine rabies variant, since the year 2000, eight of which were acquired abroad. Two of the cases originated in Mexico.

Vampire bats are bloodsucking nocturnal mammals that are typically found in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. They usually feed on sleeping wildlife and livestock, but sometimes bite people, too.
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This is one of my fears - Rabies it's a killer and even with a vaccine it is not necessarily a cure and you can still die.

When I first moved to Cornwall I was walking into the town and was alarmed to see this dog scampering along the road frothing at the mouth. I think he was infected but when I rang the Police they said they didn't deal with dogs and to contact the local RSPCA which I did. You would have thought they would be more concerned about the danger to children who may have approached it. I still don't know if they caught it or whether it was infected.

I am not afraid of bats but I am very wary of them. We were once at a bar in Africa with a typical makuti roof, suddenly a bat swooped down from the roof and bit the barman on the ear. He didn't seem unduly worried, I'd have been straight off to the nearest medical centre ! Angelique, the little dog you saw frothing at the mouth might have eaten something with an unpleasant taste. I say this because some years ago I saw our very tiny Pomeranian puppy sitting in the middle of the lawn frothing at the mouth, eyes rolling and it scared me to death. We rushed her to the vet, the first thing he did was to look in her mouth and retrieve particles off her tongue. Silly pup had crunched a ladybird. Evidently ladybirds taste so vile and bitter that nothing eats them, well apart from silly puppies. A few hours later she was fine but she never tried eating a ladybird again.

I know at one time Toronto was referred to as the rabies capital of the world, I think because of the many Racoons, whether it still is I don't know.

mara thon

I didn't know about ladybirds being bitter - so I live and learn. I just hope this was maybe the case with the dog I saw.

I never saw it again - it was one of those Irish water dogs - quite large - it was floundering all over the place which made me wonder.

We actually took a photo of our baby Pom Angelique (polaroid) so we could show the vet how she looked. I still have it somewhere, no idea where, but it is a funny photo, this tiny little dog, tongue out at the side of her mouth, frothy stuff all round her mouth and looking cross eyed, all that due to a ladybird

I found this for you:

The reason that ladybirds are so colourful is that they use their colouration to warn predators like insectivorous birds that they will not taste so good if they are eaten. When ladybirds are disturbed or handled, they deposit a yellow or amber-coloured fluid which comes from their leg joints and other parts of their bodies. This fluid has a bitter taste. It also leaves a yellow stain on your skin which can smell horrid. So really, although they are relatively harmless, it is best not to handle them

mara thon

Your poor little "Pom"!

Yes I recall the yellow fluid - how could I forget this. I was brought up on a farm from a baby and spent all my days in fields. I remember catching ladybirds and you have triggered a memory with your detailed summary. I do remember the yellow on my tiny hands!

In the recent past I returned to working on a farm harvesting crops etc., and protested to the Farm Manager when he decided to spray his flower crops because they was a high influx of ladybird larva on the stems. After a lifetime of interest in flora and fauna I was appalled that he wanted to destroy them - he didn't seem to understand that they were his potential "friends". I have never forgiven him for this act of destruction!