Anxiety about rabies.

[User name]

Rabies anxiety

18, male, 165, white, no prediagnosis

So my father went out today and there was what he thought was a huge spider under our deck. He knows I like bugs and stuff so he called me down and I followed him down. He had tried to and maybe did spray it with the hose. I went under and looked up and I noticed it was a bat. He poked at it with a long tool and it flew away. The reason I am worried is because while that was happening a drop of what I assume is hose water landed on me, I’m worried about this because it landed on my face and I’m worried that maybe some of the bats spit could have gotten into the water especially since tiny droplets could have gotten into my eyes and I have acne where it landed. I heard the incubation can be insanely long and I really just can’t handle this on my mind for up to 7 years. What should I do? Am I alright?

 

[Cuchculan]

Very long shot of such a thing happening. If anything it was just water. But because of your anxiety you think it was something else. You probably will continue to think it was something else too. My own guess is that bat spit would be little or nothing. As in chances of it mixing with the water. Ptobably have more chance of winning the lottery. But now it is up to you to accept this. in order to calm your anxiety back down again.

 

[Belizz]

A long time ago got similar anxiety, and was told by a dr and two vet friends that the rabies virus is extremely fragile in the open. For someone to get infected, there MUST be an open wound (that crap with that it can penetrate tiny skin cracks is basically BS) and in case of scratching by cat/bat whatever animal, must lick their claws just before they scratch you as the virus doesn't live too long. What I mean is direct saliva contact. So biting is the most possible way for it to enter.
If the bat didnt drop the water from their mouth (then saliva is mixed) and if you don't have an open wound in your face then you don't need to worry.

But if you want to be on the safe side you can have an emergency dr visit for opinions (which I would do) and ask if vaccination is necessary in your case or not.
and whatever decision they make, trust them. Even the most careless dr will know one shouldn't mess with rabies so they wont take risks or send you away with doubts.

 

[User name]

A long time ago got similar anxiety, and was told by a dr and two vet friends that the rabies virus is extremely fragile in the open. For someone to get infected, there MUST be an open wound (that crap with that it can penetrate tiny skin cracks is basically BS) and in case of scratching by cat/bat whatever animal, must lick their claws just before they scratch you as the virus doesn't live too long. What I mean is direct saliva contact. So biting is the most possible way for it to enter.
If the bat didnt drop the water from their mouth (then saliva is mixed) and if you don't have an open wound in your face then you don't need to worry.

But if you want to be on the safe side you can have an emergency dr visit for opinions (which I would do) and ask if vaccination is necessary in your case or not.
and whatever decision they make, trust them. Even the most careless dr will know one shouldn't mess with rabies so they wont take risks or send you away with doubts.

The doctor said I should be good, thanks for your help! I’m still a little anxious but I know it’s all in my head.

 

[jay_03]

Hi! Local rabies expert on the forum been suffering from the phobia almost two years, recovering and doing well! There is less than a 0.000000000001 chance of exposure here even if it was bat spit! You need to have blood to saliva contact and from what it sounds like there was NONE! You are all a-okay and I hope you are having a wonderful day and that this doesn’t worry you one second longer than it has to! Bats are helpful and good creatures (something I had to repeatedly drive into my own thoughts for years!) and only their bite can really mess with the body! You’re gonna be okay.

 

[User name]

Hi! Local rabies expert on the forum been suffering from the phobia almost two years, recovering and doing well! There is less than a 0.000000000001 chance of exposure here even if it was bat spit! You need to have blood to saliva contact and from what it sounds like there was NONE! You are all a-okay and I hope you are having a wonderful day and that this doesn’t worry you one second longer than it has to! Bats are helpful and good creatures (something I had to repeatedly drive into my own thoughts for years!) and only their bite can really mess with the body! You’re gonna be okay.

Thanks I was just worried because it landed near my eyes and I have acne on my forehead. I talked to a doctor and they said it should be fine though I just need to learn to relax.

 

[jay_03]

You got this, I believe in you!

 

[User name]

You got this, I believe in you!

Thanks, I’m sure I’ll be fine!

 

[User name]

Thanks, I’m sure I’ll be fine!

You sure? I mean I do have acene around where it landed and it was near my eyes.

 

[Joshua1]

Rabies anxiety

18, male, 165, white, no prediagnosis

So my father went out today and there was what he thought was a huge spider under our deck. He knows I like bugs and stuff so he called me down and I followed him down. He had tried to and maybe did spray it with the hose. I went under and looked up and I noticed it was a bat. He poked at it with a long tool and it flew away. The reason I am worried is because while that was happening a drop of what I assume is hose water landed on me, I’m worried about this because it landed on my face and I’m worried that maybe some of the bats spit could have gotten into the water especially since tiny droplets could have gotten into my eyes and I have acne where it landed. I heard the incubation can be insanely long and I really just can’t handle this on my mind for up to 7 years. What should I do? Am I alright?

You are alright, blood DNA from a bat will only effect your health system, if you had a cut that the DNA went in or swallowed and tried to digest the bat. You are fine. I do not think spit from a bat will effect you unless what happened as i mentioned.

 

[EvaC]

Hi! Local rabies expert on the forum been suffering from the phobia almost two years, recovering and doing well! There is less than a 0.000000000001 chance of exposure here even if it was bat spit! You need to have blood to saliva contact and from what it sounds like there was NONE! You are all a-okay and I hope you are having a wonderful day and that this doesn’t worry you one second longer than it has to! Bats are helpful and good creatures (something I had to repeatedly drive into my own thoughts for years!) and only their bite can really mess with the body! You’re gonna be okay.

Hi Jay - You sound like someone who may be helpful to talk to - I have had a rabies phobia all my life that my hypochondriac mother instilled in me. I have always read more than I should about the topic and have always been very wary of bats and being outdoors in the summer at dusk. Well, this summer, back at the end of July, I noticed two bleeding punctures a little less than a centimeter apart on my wrist. This was when I was walking to my garden to water plants around 7 in the evening. I never saw a bat. I repeat - I DID NOT SEE A BAT. But I became concerned when I read that many rabies victims were unaware of how they were exposed but their rabies was traced to a bat variant. I live out in the country where there are a lot of bats. To make a long story short, I went to the ER... I was laughed at and dismissed because I never actually saw a bat... I went again a few days later, and again they tried to downplay my concerns. Finally, I insisted that they give me PEP, which a nurse administered. As in your situation, I realized, after further research, that she administered the HRIG wrong. Instead of around the wound site, half was injected into my deltoid above the wound site and the remainder in my thigh muscle. This has caused me tremendous anxiety and concern as I worried the PEP is ineffective now. What are your thoughts on this?