Officials at the Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed Aug. 1 a bat in Clackamas County tested positive for rabies.
The bat was found at a private residence in Molalla, where it came into contact with a human. It was recommended for euthanasia and then tested positive for rabies. The person who was exposed is receiving the recommended post-exposure prophylaxis.
During the summer, interactions with bats are more common. In Oregon, bats are the main animal of concern for rabies. About 8% of bats tested for rabies in Oregon are found to be carrying it, and the true rate among wild bats is likely lower. Foxes can also carry rabies, but human interactions with them are rarer. No dogs in Oregon have tested positive for rabies in the last 24 years, and two cats have tested positive out of thousands tested. Raccoons and squirrels are not carriers of rabies in Oregon…