David DeMille

The Spectrum & Daily News

Utah public health officials confirmed Thursday that a Utah resident died from rabies earlier this month. It is suspected exposure to a bat was the source of infection.

This is the first Utah resident to die from rabies since 1944, according to the Utah Department of Health.

No further information about the family was released, with health officials saying they wanted to protect the identity of the deceased resident.

People and animals in are most likely to come into contact with rabies through exposure to bats, according to a release from the department.

"Because a bat’s teeth and claws are so small, a bat bite or scratch may not be seen or felt by the injured person," according to the release. "Anyone who is bitten by a bat, has bare skin contact with a bat, or has other potential contact with a bat (such as waking up in a room with a bat) should contact their health care provider or local health department for advice on whether they should receive treatment to prevent rabies."

Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms develop, so all potential exposures must be taken seriously, according to the release.

“If you find yourself near a bat, dead or alive, do not touch, hit, or kill it,” said Dallin Peterson, epidemiologist with the health department.

The department recommended that if residents find bats in their homes they should seek help from a local company or contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for more information.

"Call your health care provider or local public health department immediately to report the possible exposure and determine whether preventive treatment is necessary," Peterson said.

An estimated 40,000 people in the U.S. receive a rabies prevention treatment each year. Post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, can be given after a bite or scratch from a domestic animal, such as dogs or cats, with unknown vaccination status.

In addition to vaccinating pets up-to-date with vaccinations, health officials recommended a set of guidelines to reduce the risk of getting rabies:

Never touch a bat. Keep bats out of your home. Seal any cracks and gaps where bats can enter.

• Keep your pets inside and supervise them when outside. This will help keep your pets from coming in contact with wild animals.

Report stray animals to local authorities. Call your local animal control officials to report stray dogs and cats.

Don't approach wild animals. Wild animals with rabies may seem unafraid of people. It's not normal for a wild animal to be friendly with people, so stay away from any animal that seems unafraid. If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to animal control.

In domestic animals, signs of rabies may include behavior changes, general sickness, trouble swallowing, an increase in drool or saliva, and biting at everything, if excited.

Consider rabies pre-exposure vaccine if you're traveling out of the country. If you're traveling to a country where rabies is common and you'll be there for an extended period of time, ask your doctor whether you should receive the rabies vaccine before you travel.

Take action if you are bitten. If you are bitten by any animal (domestic or wild), immediately wash the wound well with soap and water and see a health care provider.

For general concerns or questions about bats, contact a local wildlife resources office. The following resources are available:

List of regional DWR offices: https://wildlife.utah.gov/about-us/contact-us.html

Information about bats and keeping them out of your home: www.wildawareutah.org/utah-wildlife-information/bats

List of wildlife nuisance control experts: https://wildlife.utah.gov/habitat/nuisance_control.php

For more information on rabies, call the Utah Department of Health at 801-538-6191 or visit http://health.utah.gov/epi/diseases/rabies.