An 11-year-old Canadian boy has died from rabies after an encounter with a bat during a family vacation in Northern Ontario.
The case was documented in a June report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
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The incident occurred in the summer of 2024. The boy woke up to find a bat resting on his nose and face.
After he swatted the animal away, his father captured and released it.
Because there were no visible scratches or bite marks, the child did not receive medical treatment for about 19 days.
He then began experiencing persistent vomiting and facial numbness, according to the report.
An urgent care facility initially treated him for Bell's palsy. As his condition worsened, the family went to an emergency department.
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There, medical staff started rabies treatment after learning about the bat exposure.
The patient died 17 days after being admitted to the hospital, despite receiving medical interventions.
The U. S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the rabies virus enters the central nervous system and causes fatal complications if left untreated.
The CDC describes the consequences as "severe brain disease and death" if care is not given before symptoms appear.
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Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals via bites or scratches. The disease is almost completely preventable if individuals receive immediate medical prophylaxis after exposure.
