A 6-year-old Wisconsin girl has begun treatment for rabies after being bitten by a bat while climbing a tree outside her family home. The incident occurred last Tuesday evening in Tigerton, approximately 65 miles west of Green Bay.
Cecelia 'Cece' Kale was climbing a tree when a bat reportedly wrapped its wings around her leg. Her mother, Elizabeth Kale, initially mistook her daughter's distress for an encounter with a bee. Family members intervened, with Cece's older brothers removing the bat. One brother used a homemade sword to dislodge the bat, and the other then killed the animal.
Within 48 hours, the bat tested positive for rabies. Cece was taken to an emergency room where she received the first of four rabies vaccine shots. The family, while reportedly opposed to mandated immunizations, consented to the treatment for their daughter.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and can be fatal if not treated before symptoms appear, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A series of four or five vaccine shots, administered as soon as possible after potential exposure, are nearly 100 percent effective in preventing the disease. Approximately 100,000 Americans are vaccinated annually due to potential exposure.
The Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department stated that at least one rabid bat is typically identified in the area each year. While rabies is rare in the United States, with fewer than 10 deaths reported annually, health officials emphasize the seriousness of potential exposures.
Despite the frightening experience, Elizabeth Kale indicated that the incident would not deter her family from their chosen lifestyle, which includes homeschooling their children on a rural property to foster a specific upbringing. She described her daughter as brave and resilient in handling the painful shots.