As the weather warms and people spend more time outdoors, patients may present to physicians with concerns about the risk of rabies following bat or other animal exposures.
As the weather warms and people spend more time outdoors, patients may present to physicians with concerns about the risk of rabies following bat or other animal exposures. The risk of rabies exposure from contact with mammals depends upon geographic region, animal species, animal behaviour and type of contact.
Bats are a reservoir of rabies worldwide and in B.C. are the only known natural reservoir, with less than one percent estimated to carry the virus. Terrestrial mammals in B.C. are not known to be reservoirs of rabies but may on rare occasions be infected with the bat strain of rabies.
Rabies is enzootic to varying degrees in wild mammals such as raccoons, skunks and foxes in Canada east of the Rockies and in other countries. In some countries, domestic mammals such as dogs are enzootic for rabies.
Contact Fraser Health Public Health if you think rabies post‑exposure prophylaxis (RPEP) may be indicated based on your risk assessment, or if you are uncertain. Please refer to the table below for details.
- RPEP consists of rabies immune globulin and rabies vaccine and can only be authorized by a Medical Health Officer (MHO).
- For consultations related to possible rabies exposures, contact Fraser Health Public Health at 1‑866‑990‑9941 (option 2) weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to speak with a Communicable Disease Environmental Health Officer (CD EHO). Contact an MHO after hours (evenings, weekends and statutory holidays) at 604‑527‑4806.
- If the patient presents shortly after exposure, manage the exposed site like other wounds. It is very important to wash the contact site with mild soap and copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Also consider updating tetanus vaccine as required.
| Animal | Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Bat | Direct contact (e.g., bite, scratch, unprotected handling/touching) | Consult Fraser Health Public Health |
|
Found in the house or bedroom upon waking without any evidence it touched someone |
RPEP not indicated per BCCDC (2025) | |
| Found in the room of a child or an adult unable to give a reliable history | Consult Fraser Health Public Health | |
| Terrestrial mammals (pets, domestic or wild) | Contact occurred in B.C.; animal behaved normally, was not imported, had not travelled outside B.C. to a rabies‑enzootic area in the last six months, and had no known bat contact. | RPEP not indicated per BCCDC (2025) |
| Contact with an animal imported from or travelled outside B.C. to a rabies‑enzootic area within the last six months | Consult Fraser Health Public Health | |
| Contact with an animal that had known contact with a bat within the last six months | ||
| Contact with an animal showing signs compatible with rabies, or animal exposure in another province or country |
Fraser Health Medical Health Officers are available for medical consultations at 604‑587‑3828 or 1‑877‑342‑6467 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.), or after hours at 604‑527‑4806.
Important considerations:
- Care should be taken to communicate the purpose of the Public Health consultation or assessment to the patient. Avoid language that implies RPEP will be necessary or guaranteed, as RPEP may not be indicated for every circumstance of possible direct contact with a bat or other animal exposure and will be provided based on the risk assessment of the Medical Health Officer (MHO).
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When assessing local B.C. animal behaviour, it is important to recognize that many animals may display defensive or aggressive responses when approached by humans or other animals. Such behaviour can be considered provoked and within normal expectations, particularly when animals are:
- Unexpectedly startled
- Protecting their young
- Seeking food
- Unable to retreat or escape a situation
Please refer to the following resources for more information:
- BCCDC guidance for management of possible rabies exposures: BCCDC Rabies Guidelines
- For the general public: Rabies | HealthLink BC
- For health professionals: Rabies