Australian man dies from ‘extremely rare’ rabies-like infection after bat bite

An Australian antheral has died from an "extremely rare" rabies-like corruption transmitted by a bat bite, wellness officials said Thursday (July 3, 2025).

The antheral successful his 50s was bitten by a bat carrying Australian bat lyssavirus respective months ago, the wellness work successful New South Wales said.

"We explicit our sincere condolences to the man's household and friends for their tragic loss," NSW Health said successful a statement.

"While it is highly uncommon to spot a lawsuit of Australian bat lyssavirus, determination is nary effectual attraction for it."

The antheral from bluish New South Wales, who has not been identified, was this week listed arsenic being successful a "critical condition" successful hospital.

The microorganism — a adjacent comparative to rabies, which does not beryllium successful Australia — is transmitted erstwhile bat saliva enters the quality assemblage done a wound oregon scratch.

First symptoms tin instrumentality days oregon years to appear.

Early signs of the illness are flu-like — a headache, fever and fatigue, the wellness work said.

The victim's information rapidly deteriorates, starring to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death.

There were lone 3 erstwhile cases of quality corruption by Australian bat lyssavirus since it was archetypal identified successful 1996 — each of them fatal.

People should debar touching oregon handling bats, arsenic immoderate bat successful Australia could transportation lyssavirus, the New South Wales wellness work said.

"If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is bitten oregon scratched by a bat, you request to lavation the coiled thoroughly for 15 minutes close distant with soap and h2o and use an antiseptic with anti-virus action," it said.

"Patients past necessitate attraction with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine."

The microorganism has been recovered successful taxon of flying foxes and insect-eating microbats, NSW Health said.

The benignant of bat progressive successful the latest fatality has not been identified.