Virginia Woman Wakes to Bat on Her Face, Takes It to ER

A Virginia woman said she woke from a vivid dream about a field mouse only to discover that a real bat was on her face near her mouth. Dr. Krista Edelman, a gastroenterologist in Richmond, described the incident in an Instagram video and in interviews with local television stations. She said the animal seemed to be attempting to get into her mouth. When she awoke, she reached toward her face and felt an object there. She told WWBT-TV that she grabbed the animal and folded its wings back before realizing it was a bat. Edelman told WTVR-TV that she screamed repeatedly, warning that a bat was in her mouth. Her screams woke her husband, who captured the animal. Edelman then took the bat to an emergency room. Although Edelman did not believe the bat had bitten her, Dr. Adam Landsee, assistant medical director at St. Mary’s Hospital, said seeking medical care was the appropriate response. He explained that bat teeth are very small, making bites difficult to detect, and advised people to treat any situation involving a bat in a room cautiously because of the risk of rabies. The bat ultimately tested negative for rabies. The source material does not state whether Edelman received treatment or how the bat entered the home.