Bats in Human Dwellings: Health Concerns and Management

The natural roosts of insectivorous bats in the north-east US are typically caves, rock crevices, and hollow trees. A few species, primarily Myotis lucifigus (little brown bat) and Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), have readily adapted to living in the houses and other structures of humans. During the warmer months of April through October, commensal bats sometimes become a nuisance due to their colonial habits and resultant odors, noises, guano deposits, and associated aesthetic and economic damages. Bat ectoparasites and at least one fungal disease, histoplasmosis, are of some medical import and the observation of bats flying about a residence is frequently disturbing to the human occupants. The most important public-health concern related to commensal bats is the potential for rabies infection and the complications associated with possible exposure to that disease. Although the probability of rabies infection in a bat is not great, the possibility greatly influences management decisions