Bat rabies in South Carolina, 1970-90

This retrospective study examines the geographic and temporal distribution of bat species submitted for rabies testing in South Carolina (USA) from 19 70 to 1990. Histories of human or animal exposures to rabid and nonrabid ba ts submitted during this time period were compared. Two hundred and thirty- one bats were found to be rabid from the 2,657 bats submitted over this 20 yr period. The two species most frequently submitted for testing were Lasiu rus borealis with 785 specimens (30% of the total) and Nycticeius humeralis with 607 specimens (22% of the total). Lasiurus borealis also had the high est prevalence of rabies (18%) while N. humeralis had the lowest prevalence (3%). Fifty-one percent (1,259) of the bats received for testing were subm itted from June through August. The majority (54%)of rabid bats were receiv ed from August through October.