>>2485601>Just figured /out/ might have a resident rabies autistahhaha my time to shine
Rabies has a recorded incubation period of 2 days to 20 years. Statistically, you will have symptoms in about 3 days. It often begins with tingling or numbness in the area that was exposed to the virus. This is the signal that your vaccine window is closing fast.
There is no treatment for fully symptomatic rabies. You can get your vaccine post-exposure, and most people do, but the longer you wait the less effective it is. Rabies vaccination is a "for life" vaccine but some experts recommend re-vaccination for second+ exposures.
Once rabies has settled into you, without vaccination its death rate is 100%. The final symptom from which only 2 people in history have recovered is "hydrophobia," resulting from the virus having damaged your swallowing reflex and you can no longer swallow willingly--liquids especially. The 2 survivors pulled through because of expensive experimental treatment involving a combination of novel treatments (coma, body icing, harsh antivirals) carried out by leaders in rabies research.
Most rabies exposure is the result of being bitten. The animals that are most strongly associated with rabies transmission are foxes, skunks, and bats. In lab studies, it's been shown that any animal with a central nervous system can be infected by rabies--even fish. You can also get rabies from a puncture or abrasion wound or getting it in your eyes. This is why if you work as a butcher, some workplace safety boards require you to get your rabies vaccine.
Knowing all that, should you get your rabies vaccine? From your story, the likelihood of exposure is low. Is your exposure level zero? No. The bat's behaviour sounds like it could be rabies and it is a watch species. Personally, I'd get the shot, and I'd be willing to pay for it considering the 1/1,000,000,000 chance I got rabies is a 100/100 chance it'll kill me--I'm also the rabies autist and it scares me.
