CDC Rabies Warning: Why California Bat Hot Spots Are Surging and What Sacramento Residents Need to Know

California’s bat population is getting more attention than usual this year, and not for the reasons we would like. The CDC sent a nationwide advisory to clinicians on September 10 after rabies immunoglobulin shots rose 76% compared with the same period last year, while post-exposure vaccinations climbed 33%. Three California counties are reporting spikes in rabid bats: Berkeley has detected five this year after typically seeing one or two, Los Angeles County has confirmed 62, and San Diego County has 43, more than double last year’s total.

The reason human exposure has shifted toward wildlife is actually a public health success story. Widespread rabies vaccination of pets means dogs and cats are rarely the source of human infections anymore, leaving bats and raccoons as the main concern. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear, which is why providers do not wait for certainty. As Dr. Monica Gandhi of UC San Francisco put it, the consequences are so dire that post-exposure prophylaxis is given whenever a real exposure is possible.

For Sacramento-area residents, the practical advice is straightforward. If a bat bites or scratches you, if one lands on you, or if you wake up to a bat in your bedroom, contact a health care provider or Sacramento County Public Health immediately. Treatment should begin within 72 hours. Never handle a bat with bare hands, and keep pets current on their rabies vaccines. Have you ever found a bat in or around your home? Tell us how you handled it.