In October 2024, an infection of European bat lyssa virus type 1 (EBLV-1) was confirmed in a domestic cat in the Netherlands. Several weeks before, the owners had found a dead bat considered to be caught by the cat. Nine persons exposed to the cat received post-exposure prophylaxis and four domestic animals from the same household were quarantined. This report stresses the need for vigilance for rabies in domestic animals in countries where lyssavirus infections in bats are endemic.
Confirmation of an EBLV-1 infection in a domestic cat highlights that vigilance for rabies is necessary, also in countries free from classical rabies but where EBLV is endemic in the bat population.
To avoid further transmission of the virus to other (domestic) animals or humans, recognition of the clinical disease (particuarly in predators such as cats), rapid laboratory diagnosis and timely implementation of control measures are of paramount importance.