Letters reproduced from the Dundee Courier regarding rabies in bats

Tragedy provides evidence of need for balance, 26/11/02
Culling bats is not an option, 30/11/02
Human beings should not face cull by bats, 06/12/02

Tragedy provides evidence of need for balance

Dundee Courier, 26/11/02

Sir, - Surely the time has come when a sense of balance should prevail over the politically correct enthusiasm for the preservation and protection of every creature apart from the human one.

The horrifying evidence of the need for such a balance is the tragedy which has befallen Mr McRae, and our prayers and thoughts are with his family.

But the general public had no idea that bats could be carriers of rabies. When laws were made to protect these creatures, living in our homes, we were certainly not informed of this possibility.

We are informed that rabies is not endemic in this country - as with foot-and-mouth disease, it has to be brought in from elsewhere. With cattle, the disease manifested itself on a sick beast, but it did not kill human beings. But with bats it seems no evidence manifests itself and, whilst they do not die from it, we do.

Where was the bat that killed Mr McRae located? Where is it now? Is it still distributing its contaminated body fluids and faeces? How many others is that place are affected? How many others in our country are carriers?

When foot-and-mouth disease was discovered, millions of unaffected cattle were slaughtered, and many livelihoods were lost. Should bats be treated differently?

There are bats living in my house. They do not always remain in the attics - some have been seen flying in the house. At no time did we think we were in danger of rabies should one have bitten us.
The public have been kept in ignorance of the threat that lies in their own homes. Why? For the protection of the bats?

We do not know the number of rabies-carrying bats in our midst, we are ignorant of the means of detecting the disease, and ignorant of the means of curing it once it has struck.

Jean Stubbs.
Broomley House,
Montrose.

Culling bats is not an option

Dundee Courier, 30/11/02

Sir, - David McRae would not have wanted his tragic death to be used as justification for a cull of the bats that he worked so hard to protect (Tragedy provides evidence of need for balance, November 26).

From tests on more than 3000 bats, we do know that the incidence of rabies is tiny: only two have been found to be infected over the last 15 years. Indeed, the respected bacteriologist Professor Hugh Pennington describes the rabies risk as “vanishingly small”.

Bats are not distributing “contaminated body fluids and faeces” as the virus is carried in the saliva. A risk only arises if one is bitten by a bat. Nor are we “ignorant of the means of curing (rabies) once it has struck”. Effective post-exposure treatment is readily available.

Culling bats is not an option. It is not practical or economically viable, it would not deliver more effective protection from rabies and bats are protected by European legislation because of their increasing rarity. Bat populations have crashed since the beginning of the 20th century and culling could drive the populations to extinction.

We have learnt from continental Europe where people are content to live with European Bat Lyssaviruses. The Bat Conservation Trust intends to continue working in close partnership with the relevant bodies to carry out active research into the extent of EBLs in the UK.
Jean Stubbs need not fear contracting rabies if she does not handle bats.

Amy Coyte,
Julia Hammer,
The Bat Conservation trust.
8 Battersea Park Road, London

Human beings should not face cull by bats

Dundee Courier, 6th December 2002

Sir, - I am glad to know that rabies is only caught from the saliva of a bat, and not by its body fluids. I always thought that saliva was a body fluid.

I would be grateful if the ladies who kindly wrote following my letter about bats and rabies could tell me whether the 3000 bats tested for rabies were alive at the time of the test?

We were reliably informed that in the case of the Tayside fatality, the illness could only be confirmed as rabies after the victim's death. Is it possible to test bats for rabies before death? We do know that they do not die from the virus.

I did not request that there should be a total cull of bats, merely that humans should not suffer any sort of cull due to bats. Where bats inhabit our homes should we not have been warned that they are carriers of rabies?

They are known to enter people's living area, how do these ladies suggest they are removed? Are bat conservationists available for this task or should the homeowners move out?

If a plumber or other work person is asked to enter lofts where there are bats, who is responsible for their safety? One might unwittingly put their hand on a bat and it bites them. What then? I am surprised to learn that bats are in short supply - most people think that there are millions of them about.

However, before compelling us ordinary mortals, not inflicted with batmania, to house unwelcome guests, who may inflict a hideous death on us should we attempt to physically evict them, I think that we should be told of the risks and responsibilities involved however small these risks might be.

A very great deal has still to be learned regarding carrier bats - not least by the bat conservationists.

Jean Stubbs.
Broomley House, Montrose.

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