Rabies is a dangerous viral infection affecting most warm blooded animals, including humans. It affects the central nervous system and is usually fatal once the symptoms develop.
The usual cause of infection in humans is bites or scratches from infected animals. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal abroad, you must seek immediate medical help.
The United Kingdom has been virtually free from Rabies for many years, however the disease is common in many other parts of the world.
In Europe rabies has spread from the east and is now established throughtout mainland Europe.
For more information on rabies see the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website
The United Kingdom has remained free of rabies because it is an island, and because we have strong quarantine measures in place to detect infected animals coming into the country.
Because of the seriousness of the disease, all rabies susceptible animals are required to spend six months in quarantine, unless arriving under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).
Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)
DEFRA have provide information on the Pet Travel Scheme at:
Bats infected with Bat Rabies have been found in the UK, the last one in Oxfordshire in 2006.
This strain of rabies can occasionally be transmitted to humans through bites.
Bats are a protected species and their roosts must not be disturbed, and as the only risk of transmission of the virus is a bite or scratch from an infected animal, the risk of transmission is extremely low for the majority of the population.
Persons licensed to handle bats in Great Britain should ensure that they have rabies vaccination and should always wear protective gloves when handling bats.
If any person is bitten by a bat, the wound should be immediately and thoroughly cleaned with soap and water. Additional cleansing of the wound site with an alcohol base or other disinfectant is also recommended and immediate medical advice must be sought.
If you find a sick bat you should not approach or handle it. Contact the Bat Conservation Trust Helpline on 0845 130 0228.
If you find a dead bat it can be sent to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) for rabies testing under DEFRAs passive surveillance scheme, you should also ring the BCT Helpline on 0845 130 0228 for advice before attempting to handle it.
