Man with Rare Bat Virus in Critical Condition After Being 'Bitten Several Months Ago,' Say Authorities

A man is in critical condition after contracting a rare bat virus in Australia.

The first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) has been reported in the state of New South Wales, involving a man in his 50s. He fell ill after being “bitten by a bat several months ago,” New South Wales Health announced in a release on Wednesday, July 2. 

“This is a very tragic situation. The man had been bitten by a bat several months ago and received treatment following the injury,” said NSW Health Protection director Keira Glasgow. “Further investigation is underway to understand whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness.”

ABLV is closely related to the rabies virus and is found in flying foxes, fruit bats and microbats. It is transmitted by bites from bats to humans, causing a potentially fatal illness that affects the central nervous system, according to NSW Health. The symptoms are flu-like, including a fever, headache and fatigue, which can develop into delirium, paralysis and death.

In 2024, 118 people required medical assessment after being bitten or scratched by bats. ABLV was first identified in 1996 and there have since been four confirmed cases in Australia, NSW Health reported.

NSW Heath is urging Australians not to handle or touch any bats after the first confirmed case of ABLV in the state in order to prevent the spread of the virus, as there is currently no cure.

“It is incredibly rare for the virus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment,” said Glasgow, per the release.

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The NSW Health director advises that if anyone is bitten or scratched by a bat to seek urgent medical assessment. 

“You will need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action, such as betadine, and allow it to dry,” said Glasgow. “You will then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.”

NSW Health said that if a bat appears to be in distress, injured or trapped “do not try to rescue it [and] instead, contact trained experts WIRES or your local wildlife rescue group.”

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This update comes as twenty new bat viruses have been discovered in China, posing serious risk to humans.

According to a study published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS), researchers tested ten different species of 142 bats in China’s Yunnan province and discovered 20 new viruses, a new species of bacteria and a new type of parasite.

Two of the viruses are similar to the deadly Hendra and Nipah viruses, the former of which causes a rare, flu-like reaction that can be fatal in humans and horses, according to the World Health Organization.