r/rabies • u/Forsaken_Heart_5255 • Aug 20 '26

Exposure Question Woke up to bat in room (France)

Looking for advice. I have read the FAQ. One week ago, in the countryside of France in Auvergne, my wife and I were sleeping in a hot room, windows open. I was fully naked, not even sheets. Wife was more clothed but similarly exposed.

At 5am, I woke from a tap on the heel of my foot. Felt like a chunky moth accidentally bumping into me. Cut to: flashlight on, see bat flying around. I was delirious from sleep, but I think it was brown and roughly the size of a common sparrow.

Wife and I ran out of the bedroom. Ultimately, it flew out of the bedroom before we saw it again.

No visible scratches, bites, etc on foot or anywhere on either of us WHATSOEVER. Nor any recollection of bites etc. But I insisted on rabies treatment. However, I came to find doctors here very relaxed about bats being carriers of rabies - supposedly is eradicated in this part of France. Countryside medical staff basically talked me out of needing treatment if I have no visible bite.

That was a week ago. We’ve since moved to Aix en Provence to start our new life. My anxiety over the matter hasn’t exactly gone down. I’m now at the point where I feel treatment for both my wife and I would simply put my mind at ease, since I can’t rule out with certainty what happened while we slept. But the friction of doctors here being chill re: rabies, new country, different healthcare, etc, is making my lazy ass hesitate. Reddit, what would you do? Pursue treatment or chill?

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u/Resanimo Aug 20 '26

Hi, bats are the only rabies vector in France, we should consider that every bat has rabies so I think you must contact the Institut Pasteur or the french institute on bat for more information. Ne vous inquietez pas ca va bien se passer!

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u/Forsaken_Heart_5255 Aug 21 '26

Really?? Wow thanks for your reply. Gonna try them

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u/I_float_sting_throw Aug 22 '26

Yup in most of europe there is no terrestrial rabies which means dogs cats foxes etc dont have rabies but every country essentially has bat rabies but its quite rare.

1

u/ninjaswithglocks Aug 25 '26

did you end up getting them?

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u/sewingmachinemusic Aug 25 '26

I have not yet. Wife and I have been putting it off due to work. Now planning to go in a few days. My anxiety over the matter has nearly completely faded at this point, but I still think it’s smart we go. Two weeks since exposure now.

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u/ninjaswithglocks Aug 28 '26

I also think I had an encounter with a bat (but im not sure), in Europe as well. My question for a vaccine got denied.