Health department issues warning after rabid bat found inside home, resident exposed in McHenry County - Lake and McHenry County Scanner

File Photo | Photo by Nils Bouillard (via Unsplash) Health officials said that a resident was exposed to a bat, which tested positive for rabies, that was found in a house in McHenry County, the first rabid bat discovery in the county this year. The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) announced Thursday that a bat was found by a resident inside a home in McHenry County but did not specify where exactly in the county. McHenry County Animal Control responded, collected the bat and submitted it for laboratory testing. The testing showed the bat was positive for rabies, which is the first rabid bat of the 2026 season in the county. MCDH said the resident was exposed to the bat so rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, also referred to as PEP, was recommended. “The MCDH is sharing this information for educational purposes to remind residents how to prevent exposure and what to do if they encounter a bat,” the department said. MCDH said that rabies in Illinois is primarily contracted from bats. It is typically not contagious from person to person. The rabies virus is transmitted through direct contact with saliva or brain and nervous system tissue from an infected animal. Rabies can be fatal in humans if left untreated but not all bats have rabies. The MCDH recommends that residents who find a bat in their home contain it in a room by closing the door and sealing any gaps at the base with a towel. If the bat is in a main living area, a bucket should be placed over the bat to contain it. The MCDH Animal Control should be notified by calling 815-459-6222 to arrange for the bat’s collection and potential testing following an exposure risk assessment by the health department’s Communicable Disease Program Health officials said that it is important that the animal is alive or recently deceased with the head intact for reliable rabies testing. Those who are exposed to a rabid animal will need to be administered PEP, a four-series treatment that includes immunoglobulins and vaccine, as soon as possible after the exposure, the MCDH said. Many types of bats have small teeth, which may leave marks that disappear quickly. Bats, which play an “important role” in the northern Illinois ecosystem, become more active during the warmer months from late spring through summer. A single bat can consume hundreds to thousands of mosquitoes and other insects each night, making them effective natural pest controllers. Bats roosting outdoors in trees, barns or bat houses are behaving normally and should be left undisturbed. Bats that are active during the day, found in unusual locations such as inside homes or unable to fly, may be sick and should be treated as a potential risk. To minimize bats getting into homes, the health department said that doors, windows and vents should have screens and be securely framed. Chimneys should be capped and gaps around utility lines should be plugged. Residents should not touch, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter, the health department said.