Bats pose a health risk, county health officials reminded residents amid the discovery of bats in several homes recently.

Though they may fascinate as the only mammal that can truly fly, bats sometimes carry rabies and can spread the disease to humans, said Bob Harrington, director of the Casper-Natrona County Health Department.

Rabies is fairly rare in humans, but it is almost always fatal if a person begins to feel symptoms. Symptoms, which can appear several weeks to several years after exposure, include paralysis, vast personality changes and other neurological problems.

People have been contacting Metro Animal Control Center "quite a bit" with bat concerns in recent weeks, said Rick Sulzen, director of the program.

One family found three dead bats and one alive in its bedroom and bathroom. Another family found one alive, and this bat tested positive for rabies.

People could have been exposed to rabies even if they found the bat already dead. The "tricky part" comes when people are asleep and don't know whether they have been touched by a bat.

"If you can't tell you were touched by a bat, you have to consider yourself exposed," Harrington said.

He also said you should try to catch the bat if you have had contact with it. The bat needs to be tested.

When people come into contact with a bat that may have rabies, they can receive post-exposure treatment, which includes an injection of human serum from people who have already received the rabies vaccine. Then, the exposed person receives his own series of rabies vaccination.

Harrington said the vaccination is much less painful than it used to be but is still unpleasant. Like any medication, there are risks with the vaccine. The entire treatment costs more than $1,200.

About 400 animals were tested for rabies across the state this year, Sulzen said. Five bats tested positive, but only one of those was from Natrona County. Nine skunks tested positive, and all were from Campbell County.

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.

Suggestions for dealing with bats:

* Don't touch a bat with your hands -- Wear gloves if you will be handling a live or dead bat.

* Store the bat in a sturdy container -- Old cottage cheese or margarine containers with lids work well.

* Call Metro Animal Control Center at (307) 235-8398 -- They can send the bat for testing and help you remove it, if needed.

* Keep cats and dogs vaccinated against rabies -- This helps keep rabies from spreading to humans.

* Put screens in chimneys, attic vents and other entry points -- This can prevent bats from entering the home. Be sure to check these dark areas first to make sure bats aren't lurking in them already.

* Leave it alone, if you see a bat alive outside -- It will probably leave you alone.

Sources: Casper-Natrona County Health Department, Metro Animal Control Center