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A California art teacher died of rabies on Nov. 22, nearly a month after being infected by a bat she found in her classroom.
Leah Senning, 60, may have been bitten when she picked up her bat to go outside, said friend Laura Sploch.
“She went into her room in the morning before her kids came in. She found a bat on the floor and she took it outside,” Sploch told . “I guess he bit her, or maybe she thought he'd hit her or something, and then he got out. She flew away, not even thinking about it, not looking sick or anything. So she took him out of the room and she went about her day and told her daughter about it.
Public health officials have stressed the importance of prompt treatment after a person comes into contact with an animal that may have rabies, but it is unclear why Seneng did not seek care at the time.
About a month later, in mid-November, Seneng started feeling feverish, and her hands were shaking, Sploch said.
In the year She was admitted to the hospital on November 18 and put into a medically induced coma the next day.
“She was in a coma for four days, and that's when we all got the call to come and say goodbye,” Sploch said.
The art teacher died a few days later at St. Agnes Medical Center in Fresno after a visit from close friends. Sploch said Seneng's husband was by her side and played music from her mother's playlist while the girl was in the room.
“She had a lot of Duran Duran on her playlist. … She had a lot of interests, and she liked a lot of world music,” Sploch said.
Seneng was an experienced hiker, world traveler, and “a truly great artist,” Sploch said GoFundMe He is there to help the Seneng family.
Seneng, who worked at Dos Palos Bryant Middle School, was remembered by the school district as a “patient and compassionate teacher” and said her “absence will be deeply felt by her students, colleagues and the entire Dos Palos School District.” District Society”.
“We are shocked to learn that Leah's death is rabies-related, possibly from a bat bite, and we are cooperating with the Merced County Department of Public Health in their investigation,” the Dos Palos-Oro Loma Unified School District said in a statement. It is in a community known to have bats and other wildlife, and nocturnal We continue to educate our community about the dangers associated with direct contact with any wildlife, including birds. District staff are trained to handle situations with wildlife, including bats, and encourage everyone to report any sightings to school administrators and take appropriate action.
California Department of Public Health News release Seneng's case was confirmed to be rabies.
It's the rabies virus. It is transmitted directly With an infected animal, including through saliva or brain and nervous system tissue, b US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus attacks the central nervous system, causing a fatal encephalopathy if left untreated.
Most cases of rabies in the US come from bats. According to the CDC. Abnormal behaviors – such as difficulty flying, being active during the day or indoors or on the ground – are. Possible symptoms A bat has rabies. Other wild animals such as skunks, foxes and raccoons can carry the virus.
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It's best to never touch a bat, but if you think you've been scratched or bitten by one, immediately wash the injury with soap and water and seek medical attention.
“Bites from bats can be incredibly small and difficult to see or identify. It's important to wash your hands and look for open wounds after touching a wild animal, and seek immediate medical attention if bitten, California Department of Public Health director and state public health officer Dr. Thomas J. Aragon said in a news release. Release. It is always safe to leave wild animals alone. Do not approach, touch, or attempt to feed any unfamiliar animals.
some Professionals After an encounter with a wild animal, recommend calling your doctor even if it doesn't look like you've been bitten.
Although deaths are rare—fewer than 10 people die from rabies in the U.S. each year—about 60,000 people Receive post-exposure prophylaxis against rabies every year.
Most have emergency rooms Post-exposure treatment Available. For people who have not been vaccinated against rabies, the treatment consists of a single dose of immune globulin and four vaccinations in addition to the vaccine. A two-week course.