Infection rare in Canada after 28 deaths since 1924
The boy, whose name was not disclosed in the report, swatted the bat off his face after waking. His father caught the bat in a pot and released it outside. The family did not take the boy to a doctor at the time, the journal reported.
Nineteen days later, the boy experienced numbness and swelling on his face. Over the following days, his family took him to emergency care. An emergency clinic initially prescribed antiviral medication used for herpes infections, presuming Bell’s palsy. He then visited a hospital twice: first receiving a presumed diagnosis of herpes gingivostomatitis, a viral infection of the mouth and gums, and returning the next day after the right side of his face went weak.
While awaiting admission, the boy developed a fever of 39C (102F) along with difficulty swallowing, confusion, and visual hallucinations. His condition worsened rapidly that day. He was intubated and admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, the journal noted.
Doctors at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Pediatrics and Child Health said they strongly suspected rabies. Days later, a test confirmed the diagnosis. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency identified a bat rabies virus variant. The boy died 17 days after being admitted to hospital. He had no history of allergies, sick contacts, tick bites, or recent travel outside Canada.
According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, there have been 28 human deaths due to rabies in Canada since 1924. “This low rate of rabies is due to widespread, ongoing vaccination programs, and failure to continue these programs can and will result in a return of disease,” the association stated on its website.
Any direct human contact with a bat is an indication for rabies postexposure prophylaxis — medical treatment given immediately after potential exposure to a rabid animal, the report states. Infection is almost always fatal once symptoms develop.