Either a moth or a small bat brushed my hand and I am spiraling :(

I was doing really well up until now, but when we went out for the 4th it July, something touched the palm of my hand. It was dark out and there was a ton of moths flying around (other bugs, too) the lights. I didn’t see a bat or feel, like, leathery wings or anything, but all I did was swat whatever touched me away. It felt small, honestly, which is the only thing I’ve been able to tell myself to calm down. It seemed too small to be a bat, almost like it could fit in the palm of my hand.

Here’s the ‘not a bat’ reasons to calm down:
-too small (possibly)
-kind of felt a buzz, like a bug
-didn’t feel leathery wings slap me
-didn’t see a bat when I looked behind me
-my hand was turned inside, near my thigh, so a bat would’ve had to get in the middle

Here are the reasons I’m having anxiety:
-what if it only brushed my hand, which is why I didn’t feel the wings
-it was dark out
-I can’t know for sure it wasn’t a bat

Thing is, I’m not so worried about myself. If I die, whatever. My health anxiety centers on my family. What I can’t get out of my head is the thought that a bat brushed my hand and then I inadvertently infected my family with rabies afterward. I washed my hand three times with soap and hot water and then swam in a pool that smelled like it had more chlorine than water in it, so I think I got rid of anything (rabies or not) on my hand, lol.

According to the CDC there has been no reported case of a non bite transmission between humans. Unless you’ve been chowing down on your loved ones they’re fine, especially seeming as you know logically it wasn’t a bat, adding to that fact rabies requires infected saliva to get into an open wound or rarely a mucus membrane, primarily through a bite.

You were not bitten, it wasn’t a bat, there is no rabies to spread or get.

Positive vibes,

Mouse.


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^what Mouse said and also there is a HUGE difference in size between most moths and bats, if a bat comes near you, you are going to notice that. Bats are big, much bigger than bugs, if a bat was close enough that you could touch it you and those around you WOULD notice it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nile

Thing is, I’m not so worried about myself. If I die, whatever. My health anxiety centers on my family. What I can’t get out of my head is the thought that a bat brushed my hand and then I inadvertently infected my family with rabies afterward. I washed my hand three times with soap and hot water and then swam in a pool that smelled like it had more chlorine than water in it, so I think I got rid of anything (rabies or not) on my hand, lol.

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Rabies virus is very unstable in the outside environment. So don't worry, you couldn't have infected anyone. Regarding you, even if the bat touched you, even if that bat was rabid, even of its saliva was on the wing that touched you, that saliva must have gone directly into an open would to have a possibility to infect. You didn't have open wounds on your palm, do you? If not, then there is virtually a 0 possibility of infection no matter who or what touched you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nile

Here’s the ‘not a bat’ reasons to calm down:
-too small (possibly) Definitely!
-kind of felt a buzz, like a bug - because it was a bug
-didn’t feel leathery wings slap me - because bugs don't have leathery wings
-didn’t see a bat when I looked behind me - because there was no bat
-my hand was turned inside, near my thigh, so a bat would’ve had to get in the middle - so no chance whatsoever of even a bug bite

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Positive thoughts

I think you’re fine. Don’t let this fear stop you from doing stuff ok?


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Thanks for responding, everyone! :) I recently went to a bat exhibit at the zoo just to see how big they are (believe it or not, I'd never seen one before) and it really helped. It's been about ten days since I posted this and I'd nearly forgotten about it. Here's to hoping the anxiety goes away completely! Right now, I'm probably 15% worried about it, versus 95% a week ago. It helps knowing I couldn't have infected my husband or the rest of my family, too. I was honestly way more worried about that.

Anyway, positive thoughts, everyone! Thanks to this site, my summer is going way better than last summer did!

That was a great idea of yours, well done for doing it. You definitely can’t miss them when they fly past you can you?


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