Table 2. Characteristics of bats submitted for rabies testing, Massachusetts, USA, 1985–2009*.

Characteristic	No. rabid/no. tested (%)
	1985–1991	1992–1998	1999–2009
Total no. bats	50/720 (6.9)	135/2,113 (6.4)	311/7,424 (4.2)
Bat species
Big brown (Eptesicus fuscus)	47/581 (8.1)	126/1,898 (6.6)	270/6,371 (4.2)
Hoary (Lasiurus cinereus)	0/5	4/12 (33.3)	NS
Little brown (Myotis lucifugus)	1/50 (2.0)	2/83 (2.4)	36/941(3.8)
Keen long-eared (M. keenii)	2/9 (22.2)	1/54 (1.9)	0/31
Red (L. blossevillii)	0/8	2/20 (10.0)	2/20 (10.0)
Seychelles fruit (Pteropus seychellensis)	NS	0/1	NS
Silver-haired (Lasionycteris noctivagans)	NS	0/4	1/13 (7.7)
Unidentified	0/67	0/41	2/48 (4.2)
Reasons for bat test
Human and pet exposure	0/5	16/250 (6.4)	40/1,004 (4.0)
Human exposure	17/160 (10.6)	35/635 (5.5)	164/4,339 (3.8)
Pet exposure	21/362 (5.8)	50/918 (5.5)	67/1,295 (5.2)
Sick and other reasons	12/193 (6.2)	34/310 (11.0)	40/786 (5.1)
Signs
Aggression
Unobserved	NC	118/2,033 (5.8)	291/7,229 (4.0)
Yes	NC	17/80 (21.3)	20/196 (10.3)
Ataxia
Unobserved	NC	128/2,087 (6.1)	307/7,392 (4.2)
Yes	NC	7/26 (26.9)	4/32 (12.5)
Death
Unobserved	NC	114/1,765 (6.5)	284/6,566 (4.3)
Yes	NC	21/348 (6.0)	27/858 (3.2)
Disorientation
Unobserved	NC	113/1,985 (5.7)	278/7,038 (4.0)
Yes	NC	22/128 (17.2)	33/386 (8.6)
Lethargy
Unobserved	NC	119/2,034 (5.9)	275/7,145 (3.9)
Yes	NC	16/79 (20.3)	36/279 (12.9)
Paralysis
Unobserved	NC	135/2,105 (6.4)	304/7,394 (4.1)
Yes	NC	0/8	7/30 (23.7)
Salivation
Unobserved	NC	135/2,111 (6.4)	309/7,409 (4.2)
Yes	NC	0/2	2/15 (13.3)
Seizures
Unobserved	NC	135/2,107 (6.4)	309/7,416 (4.2)
Yes	NC	0/6	2/8 (25.0)

*NS, no specimen; unobserved, none or unknown; NC, not collected.