The Midnight Messenger of the Outback
Then - fwip fwip fwip, a shadow glides past the window.
A bat.
Our story begins with a creature who normally minds its own business… until fate (and sometimes human curiosity) brings it unexpectedly close. And in the darkness - the Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABL), the sly cousin of rabies, steps onto the stage like a velvet-winged villain.
What It Is
Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABL) is a virus - a microscopic pirate that hijacks cells and forces them to make more copies of itself.
It belongs to the Lyssavirus family, which is the same spooky family that includes the infamous rabies virus. If rabies were a blockbuster villain, ABL would be its quieter, brooding Australian cousin who reads poetry at midnight.
It infects bats primarily, but - rarely, it can spill over into humans and other mammals.
What It Does and Why Pet Parents Should Care
ABL attacks the nervous system, sneaking in like a shadow and traveling toward the brain.
In Animals (mainly bats):
- Weakness
- Abnormal behavior
- Trouble flying
- Sometimes aggression or confusion
In Humans (very rare but serious):
- Fever, headache
- Tingling at exposure site
- Anxiety, confusion
- Difficulty swallowing
- Paralysis
- Eventually, coma
It behaves almost exactly like rabies - which means once symptoms start, survival is extremely unlikely.
Pet parents should care because:
- Curious dogs love investigating wildlife
- Cats bring home “surprises” (much to human horror)
- Kids don’t always know not to touch injured bats
If pets or people interact with bats, risk appears like a plot twist nobody asked for.
The Discovery
Our tale officially starts in 1996, when scientists in Queensland noticed something odd.
A woman had fallen severely ill with symptoms that resembled Frabies… but Australia was rabies-free. This mystery raised every scientific eyebrow in the hemisphere.
For a moment, the scientific community felt like they had stumbled into a real-life episode of “CSI: Outback Edition.”
The Naming Story
The name is beautifully straightforward:
How It Spreads
Picture the virus as a hitchhiker that clings to saliva.
Bat → Bat
Mostly through bites and scratches during the nightly soap opera we call “bat interactions.”
Bat → Human
Rare, but can happen if:
- Someone is bitten
- Someone is scratched
- Bat saliva contacts broken skin or eyes
Human → Human
No confirmed natural transmission.
This virus is not interested in starting a human-to-human world tour.
Death Toll and Impact
- 1996: A bat handler in Queensland.
- 1998: A woman in Queensland.
- 2013: An eight-year-old boy in Queensland.
- 2025: A man in northern New South Wales.
All reminders of why quick medical care is essential.
In wildlife, the virus circulates at low levels among bats, but it hasn’t caused the type of massive die-offs or livestock losses seen with other diseases.
Economically, the biggest impact has been:
- Increased wildlife handling rules
- Public health awareness campaigns
- Hospital resources for post-exposure treatment
It’s serious, but not apocalyptic.
Political and Social Atmosphere
When ABL appeared in the late 90s, Australia was rabies-free and fiercely proud of it.
- Most bats are healthy.
- They’re crucial for ecosystems.
- Stigma hurts conservation.
No widespread xenophobia or international blame occurred - this was a local wildlife issue, not a geopolitical one.
Actions Taken
Australia responded fast and smart.
Governments and Health Agencies:
- Launched campaigns warning people not to handle bats
- Required protective gear for wildlife workers
- Made post-exposure treatment widely available
Veterinarians:
- Educated pet owners
- Vaccinated domestic animals like dogs and cats with the rabies vaccine to provide cross-protection
- Helped identify sick wildlife
Doctors and Scientists:
- Developed treatment guidelines
- Improved diagnostic tests
- Built surveillance networks
No dramatic lockdowns or culling - just solid, science-driven teamwork.
Prevention for Pet Parents and the Public
A. For Pet Parents:
- Keep dogs and cats away from bats (injured bats are especially tempting for curious pets).
- Never handle a bat unless you’re trained and vaccinated.
- Seek immediate medical or veterinary attention after any bite or scratch.
- Supervise outdoor pets, especially at night.
- Teach kids that wildlife is beautiful… but hands-off.
B. What Vets and Health Pros Do:
- Conduct testing when needed
- Report unusual bat behavior
- Provide post-exposure treatment advice
- Vaccinate high-risk staff
- Coordinate with wildlife teams
- Educate the public compassionately
Behind the scenes, vets and doctors are basically the Avengers - minus the capes (most of the time).
Treatment and Prognosis
Diagnosis:
- Laboratory testing
- Evaluating exposure history
- Sometimes analyzing animals involved
Treatment:
Once symptoms appear, unfortunately, the illness is almost always fatal - which is why timing is everything.
Prognosis:
- With prompt treatment: Excellent
- After symptoms: Poor
Fun Tidbits
3. Wildlife workers get vaccinated against rabies not because rabies is in Australia, but because the vaccine also protects against ABL. Efficiency level: genius.
Your Turn
The goal here isn’t to make you sprint indoors every time a bat flutters by, glare at flying foxes like they’re plotting your downfall, or panic whenever something squeaks in a tree.
This episode of The Vet Vortex was simply crafted to make you a little wiser about the microscopic mysteries drifting through our forests, caves, orchards, and (yes) sometimes right across suburban skylines.
- lifted a bit of fog from the night sky,
- cracked open the case of the “rabies-like-but-not-quite” culprit,
- or made you whisper, “Wait… Australia has its own rabies cousin?”
- Save this post so you don’t forget the midnight lesson.
- Share it with a pet parent, wildlife lover, bushwalker, or that one friend who tries to rescue every injured creature (with good intentions and terrible gloves).
- And drop your questions or your wildest “a bat once flew straight at my face” stories in the comments.
And remember:
Check out previous post - Avian influenza (H5N1, H7N9, H9N2)
