Rabies suspect critically ill with 'advanced' symptoms

Doctors treating a man suspected of having caught rabies from an infected bat were unable to confirm yesterday whether he had the disease after tests proved inconclusive.

David McRae, an artist and wildlife conservation volunteer, was critically ill in hospital at Dundee last night with "advanced" symptoms of the disease. He was bitten by a Daubenton's bat near his home in Angus at some time in the past few months.

He was admitted to Ninewells Hospital a few days ago suffering symptoms of European bat lyssavirus, a rare strain of the disease, which causes fever and creeping paralysis as the virus attacks the central nervous system.

Mr McRae, 55, from the village of Guthrie, near Forfar, is understood to have sought medical help after he began vomiting and complained of pins and needles in his hands and feet as paralysis began to spread through his body. Although a series of blood, saliva and skin biopsy tests has proved negative, doctors are continuing to treat Mr McRae as a victim of the disease.

The most accurate method of confirming the disease involves a brain biopsy, which can only be performed after death. More tests are being done and they could take up to a week to complete.

Experts have warned that if Mr McRae has rabies there is no cure and that human sufferers usually die within five to ten days of the onset of symptoms.

Mr McRae, one of 101 conservation volunteers in Scotland licensed to work with bats, used to be a volunteer with Scottish Natural Heritage monitoring bat colonies. He kept rescued bats in an adapted aviary at the rear of his home and was known locally as Batman. But despite his work, he was never vaccinated against this particular strain of rabies, which has claimed only three lives in mainland Europe in the past 35 years.

The last person to die from rabies contracted in Britain was in 1902 although there have been several scares since.

Last night Mr McRae's partner, Carol Rigby, was at his hospital bedside. His family and nursing staff have been informed of the likely diagnosis and offered advice on vaccination.

The mountaineer Doug Scott, a close friend of Mr McRae, said: "It's terribly shocking that it should happen to David, who has been involved with bats for as long as I have known him, about 15 to 20 years.

"It does seem that he was not vaccinated against this particular strain of European rabies, which was, in hindsight, obviously an omission. But as there have only been one or two cases in the last 100 years I suppose he didn't think to bother."

Scottish Natural Heritage has instructed its workers to avoid contact with bats until the case has been fully investigated. The organisation said a few licences to handle the animals in captivity would have to remain in place, but all others were suspended.