This is from The Knox County Health Department. No need to panic, but if you have had contact with a bat, be aware:
Knox County Health Department Advisory: Rabid Bat
Knoxville, Tenn. — The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) has determined that a bat found in a courtyard area between the Boling Pavilion and Graduate School of Medicine building on the campus of the University of Tennessee Medical Center on Saturday, July 24, 2010, had rabies.
No human exposures have been reported. However, if you were in the above referenced location prior to 5 p.m. that day and had contact with a bat, please call Knox County Health Department at 865-215-5555 to see if you may need rabies post-exposure vaccine.
According to Dr. Martha Buchanan, Director of KCHD, “This is important, but people do not need to rush to the doctor. If you believe you were exposed, call our hotline today or tomorrow and KCHD personnel will address your concerns and advise you how to proceed.”
The hotline will be open until 4:30 p.m. today and from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Rabies virus causes a fatal illness but can be prevented through vaccination. Bats are known to carry rabies and can infect humans, most commonly through a bite. Scratches or contact with saliva or central nervous tissue or fluids from the bat are also possible ways to become infected. Types of bat exposure that do not pose a risk of rabies include being close to or seeing a bat without coming in contact with it.
Knox County Health Department is committed to promoting public health policies and practices to safeguard and improve quality of life for all residents. KCHD offers an array of resources, including medical and dental services, family planning, disease surveillance and control, emergency preparedness, air quality management, environmental services, food preparation oversight in public places, smoking cessation, family violence prevention, worksite wellness, nutritional programs and much more. For more information about Knox County Health Department, visit knoxcounty.org/health.

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