A man is fighting for life in hospital with a rare disease after he was bitten by a bat.

The man, aged in his 50s and from northern NSW, is his state’s first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV).

“This is a very tragic situation,” NSW Health Protection director Keira Glasgow said on Wednesday, revealing the victim is in a critical condition.

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“The man had been bitten by a bat several months ago and received treatment following the injury.

“Further investigation is underway to understand whether other exposures or factors played a role in his illness.”

Lyssavirus is transmitted to humans from infected bats through bites and scratches, or through a sick animals’ saliva that reaches your eyes, nose or mouth.

The disease is a close relative to the rabies virus, and has also been found in flying foxes.

Any bat in Australia could potentially carry ABLV.

Early symptoms are flu-like — headache, fever and fatigue — but can progress “rapidly” to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death, “usually within a week or two”.

“We know 118 people required medical assessment after being bitten or scratched by bats in 2024, but this is the first confirmed case of the virus in NSW, and the fourth case in Australia,“ Glasgow said.

“It is incredibly rare for the virus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment.”

The community has been warned to avoid touching or handling the nocturnal flying mammals, and “assume that any bat in Australia” is carrying the virus.

“If you are bitten or scratched by a bat, urgent medical assessment is crucial,” Glasgow said.

“You will need to wash the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes right away with soap and water and apply an antiseptic with anti-virus action, such as betadine, and allow it to dry.

“You will then require treatment with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine.”