As an active member with BatsQld, who will be rescuing, rehabilitating, rearing or handling live bats, you are required to be vaccinated against the Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) / Rabies and ensure you are sufficiently protected by undergoing regular titre level tests.

Please use below information as very crude guidelines only! For the most up-to-date professional information, please consult the links to Government sites at the bottom of this page.

In very rare cases, bats can carry the Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABVL), which is closely related to the classical Rabies virus. Like rabies, ABLV can be transmitted from an infected, sick animal via a bite or a deep scratch and can cause a deadly disease if you are not vaccinated or treated in a timely manner, before symptoms occur. Due to its similarities, the Rabies vaccination also protects against ABLV and can either be given as a precautionary / pre-exposure vaccination or as post-exposure vaccination immediately after a bite or scratch has occurred. As bat carers, we need to take special precautions to prevent bites or scratches, but we also need to be vaccinated and have our titre levels tested regularly, to ensure we are fully protected. The titre level test is a blood test (Rabies Serology) that checks whether the vaccination has worked and that our body is producing enough antibodies to ensure protection. If you are already vaccinated against rabies, which is recommended when doing overseas travels, you only need to undergo a titre level test to ensure your titre is above the protective threshold of 0.5 units. If you are not vaccinated against rabies, this would be the first step to take before you can become a hands-on bat carer.
SINCE SEP-2024: For the initial vaccination process, TWO injections are necessary which are given over a period of 7-14 days (on day 0 and day 7 or 14), followed by an initial titre level test (blood test called ‘Rabies Serology’) 3 weeks after the second injection, which confirms the success of the vaccination (titre level needs to be >0.5 units). A THIRD vaccination is then given one year after the first injection. Depending on your titre level, follow up titre testing will be required every year or every three years for as long as you are working as an active bat carer. The rabies vaccination can be obtained from any Travel Doctor or can be arranged via your GP at a cost of about AUD$100-150 per injection plus consultation fees and pathology fees for the titre level test. Please note that unlike Travel Doctors, GPs don’t usually deal with rabies vaccinations, they will not have the vaccine in stock and they may not be as knowledgeable about the process (you can refer them to the government resources below). Dr Deb Mills, a travel doctor in Brisbane, offers special rates for the vaccination of bat carers and is very knowledgeable and experienced in this area, read more below!
Since every individual reacts differently to the vaccination, there are no black-and-white rules regarding the interval between the titre level tests. Some carers start with a very high titre level after their initial vaccination and their level is maintained over many years without any significant reduction. Others might only achieve an intermediate level after the initial vaccination and their level might drop considerably over time. Thus, when suggesting the due date for the next titre level test, the vaccination history of every individual needs to be taken into account. As a rule of thumb, we recommend annual titre testing for levels <1 and testing every third year for levels >1. The absolute minimum titre level to grant protection is 0.5. When your titre level comes close to or drops below this value, a booster vaccination will be necessary to bring your levels back up and to ensure you are protected. However, for many bat carers, titre levels stay well above the minimum level for many years.
To facilitate vaccinations and titre level testing for our active carers, BatsQld works closely with Dr Deb Mills, a Travel Doctor in Brisbane, who kindly provides vaccinations at a reduced cost and sends out pathology referrals for the titre level tests free of charge. Feel free to give Dr Deb a call to make an appointment for your vaccination or just to have a chat, as she’s very knowledgeable and can give expert advice on any rabies vaccination related questions.

Dr Deb The Travel Doctor Brisbane
5th Floor, 247 Adelaide Street,
Brisbane, Queensland, 4000
Ph: (07) 3221 9066

For further information and the most up-to-date recommendations, see the information provided by Dr. Deb Mills, QLD Health and other Government bodies:

FOUND A BAT – DO NOT TOUCH ! – Bats are not aggressive animals, but they will defend themselves if trapped, frightened or in agony and you will likely get bitten or scratched – getting you and the bat in trouble! Keep your kids and pets away from the bat.

If you can avoid direct contact with the animal, you can place a towel or box over the bat to keep it in place and to protect it from direct sunlight until the rescuer arrives. You can use a broom or pool cleaning net to gently move it out of harm’s way or to scoop it out of water. NEVER HANDLE A BAT WITH BARE HANDS, no matter how small it is! Ask the rescue phone operator for advice if you are unsure of what to do or read the following paragraphs for more information.