Public health order helps protect the public from Australian Bat Lyssavirus

[Extract] Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) is a member of the Lyssavirus genus in the family Rhabdoviridae. ABLV has been found in both flying fox and insectivorous bat species.1 Testing has demonstrated ABLV is widely distributed in wild bat populations in Australia.2 It is estimated about 1% of bats in the wild have ABLV, but about 30% of bats found sick or injured have had ABLV.3 Humans most commonly come into contact with bats that are sick, injured or orphaned, placing vets and animal handlers at high risk of exposure to ABLV.2 The mode of transmission for ABLV is presumably similar to rabies virus, i.e. by the virus-laden saliva of an infected animal introduced by a bite or scratch, or by contamination of mucous membranes or broken skin.4 It is assumed that all Australian bat species have the potential to carry and transmit ABLV.