How dangerous are bats?
On average one-person dies from bat rabies each year. This is why some people consider bats to be dangerous. Bat droppings also can be dangerous due to the growth of the fungus histoplasmosis.

What is rabies and how is it transmitted?
Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. People get rabies from the bite of an animal with rabies (a rabid animal). Any wild mammal, like a raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote, or bat, can have rabies and transmit it to people. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.

Because rabies is a fatal disease, the goal of public health is, first, to prevent human exposure to rabies by education and, second, to prevent the disease by anti-rabies treatment if exposure occurs. Tens of thousands of people are successfully treated each year after being bitten by an animal that may have rabies. A few people die of rabies each year in the United States, usually because they do not recognize the risk of rabies from the bite of a wild animal and do not seek medical advice.

What is histoplasmosis?
Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Its symptoms vary greatly, but the disease primarily affects the lungs. Occasionally, other organs are affected. This form of the disease is called disseminated histoplasmosis, and it can be fatal if untreated.

What damage do bats cause to a house?
When a family of bats move into the attic they can cause serious damage due mainly to the buildup of feces droppings and urine. This causes strong odors and potential for disease and bat bugs. They also cause structural damage to your home including the roof, siding and soffet as well as inside damage to insulation and dry wall.

What are bat bugs?
Bat bugs are blood-sucking parasites that mainly feed on bats but will attack humans in the absence of bats.