[rob74]

> Any direct human contact with a bat is an indication for rabies postexposure prophylaxi - medical treatment given immediately after potential exposure to a rabid animal.

This phrase is unnecessarily complicated, I expect something easier to understand from the BBC. It can't be stressed often enough: if there's even the slightest suspicion that someone has been bitten, scratched etc. by any wild animal or even "just" a feral cat/dog, get them a rabies vaccine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_vaccine) immediately. Maybe the term "prophylaxi" (shouldn't it be prophylaxis?) is preferred nowadays because of the unnecessary controversies over vaccines, but I won't mince words here...

[rich_sasha]

Despite being such a "household name", rabies is in fact the single deadliest disease in humans. If untreated, results in pretty much 100% mortality. There's a mere handful of people surviving rabies without treatment in recorded history.

That's worse than Ebola, anthrax, SARS, MERS, and anything else you can think of.

[raverbashing]

Yes yes to all this and here's the thing

> if there's even the slightest suspicion that someone has been bitten, scratched etc

With Bats, always considered you've been bitten. Especially in situations like "woke up with a bat in the bedroom" - unless you can confirm the type of bat, take this as yes, it's hospital time

As noticed by the article, bat bites can be pretty painless

[apple4ever]

Yes maybe though I've read not as much as you think, unless it happens while you were sleeping or drunk.

Besides, even if it is, you will still notice a bad on you, because they have enough weight. You notice a small bug- you'll notice an animal that might weigh as much as a mouse or rat.