Prevention of exposure to rabies Most rabies exposures could be avoided if people simply refrained from handling animals, whether it be a bat, cat, or raccoon. Because there have been a few confirmed bat-transmitted rabies deaths in humans, bitten persons are routinely treated to prevent rabies. Treatment is discontinued only if the bat can be shown to be rabies free. Pets that have been bitten and not received antirabies vaccination are either quarantined or destroyed. Unprovoked bat attacks on humans are extremely rare, despite exaggerated stories which become passed around.
Bites usually are defensive, occurring when people handle sick or moribund bats.
Inexperienced people should never touch any wild animal with bare hands. Bats can be picked up with gloves, forceps, or a stick. Histoplasmosis and bats Histoplasmosis is an airborne disease caused by a microscopic soil fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum, that affects the lungs of humans. It can masquerade as influenza, or with more severe symptoms, be misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. X-rays may show pulmonary lesions.