### California Teacher Succumbs to Rabies from Bat Bite

A tragic incident has unfolded in Fresno County, California, where a local art teacher has died from rabies following a bat bite in her classroom. Leah Seneng, a 60-year-old artist and dedicated educator at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, succumbed to the fatal viral disease on November 22.

Joe Prado, assistant director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, confirmed that the teacher passed away following a suspected bat bite. Leah Seneng had been admitted to a Fresno County hospital on November 18, just a week after seeking emergency medical care.

The initial exposure to rabies occurred in mid-October when Seneng attempted to remove a bat from her classroom. Her friend, Laura Splotch, recounted that the bat seemed inactive when Seneng tried to handle it, but it suddenly became aggressive and bit her. Tragically, she did not exhibit any symptoms until approximately a month later.

Dr. Trinidad Solis, deputy health officer at the Fresno County Department of Public Health, emphasized the critical importance of seeking immediate medical attention after potential exposure to rabies. The progression of symptoms can take between four and eight weeks after a bite, and timely administration of a post-exposure vaccine is crucial for preventing the virus from taking hold.

Despite her efforts, by the time symptoms appeared, Seneng's condition had deteriorated rapidly. Her final days were spent in a coma, hooked up to life-support machines, which friends and family found deeply distressing. Laura Splotch described Seneng as a "lover of life" who cherished nature and enjoyed exploring the world, often spending time in the mountains where her mother resided.

Rabies, a disease transmitted through saliva or bodily fluids from an infected animal, is exceedingly rare in humans in the United States. The last reported case in Fresno County occurred in 1992. Medical personnel and household contacts of Seneng have been vaccinated as a precaution, although there is currently no indication of human-to-human transmission.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one to three human rabies cases are reported annually in the U.S. However, around 60,000 Americans receive post-exposure vaccines each year following animal bites or scratches, with most rabies cases being associated with animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.