July 2019 AST Magazine AST July 2019 Magazine | Page 23

“Bats
play a critical role in
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our ecosystem and it is im-
portant people know that
most of the bats in the U.S.
are not rabid,” said Emily
Pieracci, D.V.M., a CDC vet-
erinarian and lead author of
the Vital Signs. “The problem
comes when people try to
handle bats they think are
healthy because you really
can’t tell if an animal has ra-
bies just by looking at it. The
best advice is to avoid con-
tact with bats – and other wildlife –
to protect yourself from rabies.”
July 2019 - Edition 35
Dr. Emily Pieracci, D.V.M., CDC
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