Rabies from an insect who was eating a dead animal??

[ShadowStorm777]

Hi guys, so i live in the USA and recently developed a huge fear of rabies. I see a lot of people have that in common, and it is really frustrating.

So i just want to share my scenario to see if it is possible to understand what I am saying or if it's just anxiety. It was 95 plus outside yesterday, and this scenario took place at 5:30 P.M., so it was still very hot outside.

Yesterday, i decided to go to my barber's house to cut my hair, we are close families, so that is why I went to a house to cut my hair. Upon arriving, i noticed there was something dead on the front porch of their house. I walked by it and saw it was either a very small mouse or a baby bird. The only thing that was there was its tail and the skin; the skin was very much visible because i think it was longer there and there were a lot of insects and bugs on it. I avoided it and went in to cut my hair. 40 min later, I left my barber's house and stupidly decided to take a picture of it standing a few feet away.

I took a picture and then felt a sting on my arm. Now this is where it gets very scary for me. Now I think that the insect that was eating it somehow had rabies saliva in its mouth or on its sting, and it stung me, and it got into my body that way. I am not making this up, this is seriously what I think; sorry if this sounds crazy but I think it does too. I know insects do not carry it, but is it possible this way to transmit it from insects to humans?

Is this possible or not, or is there no way something like this would have happened? Even if that thing was rabid and had saliva on it and the insects got to it, it would have dried, right??? My arm still hurts, and I see some redness there and a small bump-looking thing.

What should I do, I am very scared, and I think I have been exposed to rabies in that way, so anyone, please, if you can, answer. Thank you

[PANIC247]

Hi shadowstorm

im a nurse - in my current role I see people everyday for pre exposure rabies protection and frequently see people for post exposure rabies treatment.

I would like to reassure you the likelihood of you contracting Rabies like this is minimal to none, also small rodents are very very unlikely to have rabies and it’s never happened that anybody has contracted rabies from a rodent let alone from a fly who may or may not have been eating the carcas of the rodent.

please relax. You’re fine

[ShadowStorm777]

Thank you very much for replying. It was highly likely that it was a dead bird that fell from a tree next to it because it did not even have a skin on and its head was not even formed properly so i think it was a newborn bird.

It was very hot outside yesterday and that bird was under the sun so the good thing is even if there was saliva, it would have been dried, it was 35 plus yesterday and at that time it 32 Celcius.

My question is, i have a little bump thing on my arm, but even if the insect at that exact time came and bit me, would it be a risk or not??? Thank you

[PANIC247]

No I don’t believe it was a risk. As per protocol if you visited me at work for “post exposure treatment” we wouldn’t treat you as there would be no indication

[ShadowStorm777]

Alright got it, well thank you for your time and i will try not to think about this, it will be hard but i always say this and then think about it and torture myself for months. Anyway, thank you.

[WorryRaptor]

Hi shadowstorm

im a nurse - in my current role I see people everyday for pre exposure rabies protection and frequently see people for post exposure rabies treatment.

Are you a nurse based in the UK?

I used to have this phobia, but part of my therapy was learning more about the statistical likelihood of an exposure over here. I was told it's very unlikely anybody in the UK would even encounter anything that would require the post exposure shots, bar a handful of cases, as it's only present in bats here. As it's considered extremely rare in the UK, is there a reason why you have to frequently administer post exposure shots to people? I was under the impression that bat encounters are extraordinarily rare here, and that only 1% of our bats carry the virus.

[WorryRaptor]

Hi guys, so i live in the USA and recently developed a huge fear of rabies. I see a lot of people have that in common, and it is really frustrating.

So i just want to share my scenario to see if it is possible to understand what I am saying or if it's just anxiety. It was 95 plus outside yesterday, and this scenario took place at 5:30 P.M., so it was still very hot outside.

Yesterday, i decided to go to my barber's house to cut my hair, we are close families, so that is why I went to a house to cut my hair. Upon arriving, i noticed there was something dead on the front porch of their house. I walked by it and saw it was either a very small mouse or a baby bird. The only thing that was there was its tail and the skin; the skin was very much visible because i think it was longer there and there were a lot of insects and bugs on it. I avoided it and went in to cut my hair. 40 min later, I left my barber's house and stupidly decided to take a picture of it standing a few feet away.

I took a picture and then felt a sting on my arm. Now this is where it gets very scary for me. Now I think that the insect that was eating it somehow had rabies saliva in its mouth or on its sting, and it stung me, and it got into my body that way. I am not making this up, this is seriously what I think; sorry if this sounds crazy but I think it does too. I know insects do not carry it, but is it possible this way to transmit it from insects to humans?

Is this possible or not, or is there no way something like this would have happened? Even if that thing was rabid and had saliva on it and the insects got to it, it would have dried, right??? My arm still hurts, and I see some redness there and a small bump-looking thing.

What should I do, I am very scared, and I think I have been exposed to rabies in that way, so anyone, please, if you can, answer. Thank you

Nope, not possible

Insects cannot transfer the virus like that. I went through this fear before, and was terrified a common housefly was going to give it to me. Despite it being scary, rabies is actually quite a fragile virus, and UV light + exposure to air which dries it out, will kill it incredibly quickly. Insects can't "pick it up" by feeding on a dead carcass either. It just doesn't work that way You have nothing to worry about.

[ShadowStorm777]

Hey, thanks a lot for answering. I read that insects don't carry it and i get they don't transmit it, but i feel like i am that unlucky person who in some way got rabies and that insects needle was containing rabies saliva and when it bit me, it injected rabies saliva too. But then my logical side says this ain't a movie wake up but then something tells me that something bad is gonna happen and you caught this virus. The only thing worrying me is this bump thing, looks like a pimple thing and i am scared this is where the insect bit me.

Can i ask you a question? What if it was not an insect but a bat?? It was around 6pm and very light and very sunny and hot outside, Could they extend their necks and bite or they have to land on you, cling on you then bite and i should have noticed it biting my arm right??? Thanks again

By the way, i found the picture of that thing and took a picture of the "bite" mark, if you can, take a look, thx
Photo Jul 30 2023, 12 08 32 PM.jpgPhoto Jul 30 2023, 12 43 24 PM.jpgPhoto Jul 31 2023, 6 43 17 PM.jpg

[Lencoboy]

Are you a nurse based in the UK?

I used to have this phobia, but part of my therapy was learning more about the statistical likelihood of an exposure over here. I was told it's very unlikely anybody in the UK would even encounter anything that would require the post exposure shots, bar a handful of cases, as it's only present in bats here. As it's considered extremely rare in the UK, is there a reason why you have to frequently administer post exposure shots to people? I was under the impression that bat encounters are extraordinarily rare here, and that only 1% of our bats carry the virus.

If there was a severe threat of rabies here in the UK, then it would no doubt be all over the national news headlines.

But at least in the meantime, nada.

In fact (while I don't in any way wish to tempt fate by saying this), even Covid hardly seems to get mentioned in the national headlines anymore, though that's another story.

[PANIC247]

Hi Worryraptor - yes I’m a nurse based in the Uk. And you’re correct rabies had been eradicated in the uk minus a few bats. The post exposure treatment we offer is to individuals who were bitten abroad while on holiday