Case report describes fatal Australian bat lyssavirus infection in an adult after a prolonged incubation period, highlighting the need for prompt medical care after bat exposure.
In December 1998, a 37-year-old Queensland woman died from a rabies-like illness, 27 months after being bitten by a flying fox (fruit bat). Molecular techniques enabled diagnosis of infection with Australian bat lyssavirus (ABL), the second human case to be recognised and the first to be acquired from a flying fox. It must be assumed that any bat in Australia could transmit ABL; anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should immediately wash the wounds thoroughly with soap and water and promptly seek medical advice.
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Hanna et al. (2000) studied this question.
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