At least six patients were treated at Thomas Hospital after possible bat bites or other exposures in a single week, raising concerns about rabies and bringing health officials to remind Baldwin County residents of the importance of seeking medical attention.

The Alabama Department of Public Health confirmed that several people in Baldwin County have received treatment at local emergency rooms after being bitten by bats at different residences throughout the county.

According to the ADPH, none of the bats involved were submitted for rabies testing, and the patients are being treated with post-exposure medical plans as a precaution.

Dr. Ian Langford, an infectious disease specialist and internal medicine physician at Thomas Hospital, said the cluster of cases is unusual, although the exact reason for the increase remains unknown.

"When I see a cluster bite that's happening, sometimes it's just random chance, but this time of year it's migration season for a lot of flying animals, and so we may have had a migration come through," Langford said.

While bats generally avoid human contact, Langford said residents should be aware of potential risks, particularly when bats enter homes.

"It's unusual enough that certainly I would want people to be educated and familiar with what this would mean," Langford said.

According to the ADPH, rabies is a viral infection that can spread through bites, scratches or contact with infected saliva. The virus is not transmitted through droppings, blood or urine.

Although rabies is fatal if left untreated, it can be prevented through quick medical treatment following exposure.

Langford said that patients seeking treatment after a possible bat bite typically receive rabies immune globulin, which provides immediate antibodies against the virus, along with a series of rabies vaccinations.

One of the biggest concerns surrounding bat exposures is that a person may not realize a bite has happened.

"They are very small, their teeth are very small, you will not necessarily know that you've been bitten, especially if it happened when you were asleep," Langford said.

Health officials recommend seeking medical attention if a bat is discovered in a room where someone was sleeping or where a person may have been unaware of contact with the animal.

Dr. Dee W. Jones, Alabama's state public health veterinarian, also emphasized the importance of recognizing possible exposures.

"Recognizing a potential exposure and responding appropriately remain critical to preventing this fatal disease," Jones said in an ADPH news release. "Bats require particular caution when found inside homes, college dormitories, nursing homes or other living quarters. People who were sleeping or cannot reliably determine whether contact occurred may need evaluation for possible rabies exposure."

The ADPH advises residents to not handle bats or other wildlife with bare hands. If a bat is found inside a home and a person or pet may have been exposed, the animal should be safely secured for rabies testing rather than released outdoors, if possible.

If residents are certain that no people or pets have been exposed, the ADPH recommends isolating the bat in a room with an open window, allowing the bat to leave on its own.

Langford said prevention starts with keeping the bats from entering the home whenever possible.

"I recommend putting screens on your windows if you like to open your windows," Langford said. "That's probably the number one thing around here to keep bats out of your house."

Despite the recent exposures, Langford said bats play an important role in the local ecosystem, including helping control mosquito populations and should generally be left alone when outdoors.

"If you don't need to come into contact with the bat, don't come into contact with the bat," Langford said.

The ADPH urges anyone who believes they might have been exposed to a bat or bitten by a bat to seek emergency medical care immediately rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.