Rabid bat found in Barrington

A rabid bat found in a Barrington home drove the Lake County Health Department to issue a warning Thursday urging residents to avoid contact with bats.

A total of four bats have tested positive for rabies in Lake County this year. In the most recent incident, the Barrington homeowner collected the bat safely and did not have contact with the bat.

In July, The Kane County Health Department has reported that two bats tested positive for rabies -- one in Elgin and the other in Dundee Township.

The health department warns that rabies is almost always a fatal disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other animals. Most commonly, people get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal.

In other cases, people can contact rabies if any infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, comes in contact with a person’s nose, mouth, an open wound or gets into the eyes, according to the department.

Rabies is preventable if the expose is realized and if treatment is initiated promptly. In 2008, nine bats tested positive for rabies in Lake County.

The health department urges that if anyone comes in direct contact with a bat or notices a bat acting in an unusual manner, such as flying in daylight or lying on the ground or in a home, to contact them at (847) 949-9925.

If a bat is inside your home, do not chase it away because it may be needed for rabies testing, the department says.

While bats can transmit rabies, they are also beneficial animals. Lake County officials say some species can eat up to 600 insects in an hour. Besides mosquitoes, bats eat crop-destroying pests, including moths, beetles and grasshoppers.