Postexposure prophylaxis after bite of abroad-winged bat with evidence of European bat lyssavirus1 (EBLV-1)

Abstract

Germany has been considered free of terrestrial rabies since 2008 as aresult of intensive vaccination and surveillance efforts but reservoirs of the lyssaviruses EBLV‑1 and EBLV‑2 persist in bat colonies and thus pose apotential risk of infection. We report on apatient who suffered abat bite in an urban setting in which European bat lyssavirus1 (EBLV-1) was detected in the euthanized bat. We performed active and passive postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). This case study illustrates the ongoing risk of rabies infection due to close bat contacts in Germany and is intended to sensitize primary care physicians to take such exposure events seriously and to perform aregular PEP including administration of rabies immunoglobulin.