Few things strike so much fear into the hearts of so many as vampire bats,

beastly little creatures that fly soundlessly and sink their fangs into our necks.

But the real risk isn't having your blood sucked out.

It's the rabies virus being transferred in. Today, we're going to have a look

at the real risks associated with bats and the world's deadliest disease. That's all coming up

right now on Skeptoid.

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You're listening to Skeptoid.

I'm Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com.

Bats and rabies.

Welcome to the show that separates fact from fiction, science from pseudoscience, real history

from fake history, and helps us all make better life decisions by knowing what's real and what's not.

With a fatality rate of 100% to both humans and animals who contract it, rabies is one of the world's deadliest viral

infections. It is transmitted through the saliva, either by biting or by consuming food that

another animal has spat out. And what animal is among the most feared transmitters of this disease?

Well, in many places, it's bats. A bat coming in the night

and sinking its teeth into you is one of the most fearsome prospects that many people can conceive of.

...