Doctors treating a volunteer wildlife worker for suspected rabies were last night unable to say whether he had been infected by the virus after initial tests proved negative.
David McRae, 56, who was bitten by a bat, remained critically ill in an isolation unit in Dundee. Laboratory tests suggested he had not contracted rabies, but doctors continued to treat him for the disease, which they said could not be ruled out. Drew Walker, director of public health at NHS Tayside, said: "The patient's clinical symptoms and all available circumstantial evidence continue to point to the possibility of rabies."
Dr Walker said the negative lab results from blood, saliva and skin sample tests reduced the probability that Mr McRae had been infected by rabies but further tests would need to be carried out. Rabies is difficult to diagnose and doctors remain fearful that Mr McRae contracted the virus.
He has worked with bats for more than 15 years and has been bitten at least once recently. Doctors suspect he may have been bitten by a bat infected with the European bat lyssavirus (EBL) strain of rabies. Mr McRae was a volunteer and contract worker with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), which yesterday announced it was suspending all volunteer and contract worker licences as a precautionary measure. Only around six SNH employees will now be allowed to handle bats in Scotland.
Mr McRae's partner, Carol Rigby, and his sons, Robin, 28, and Gavin, 30, were at his bedside at Ninewells hospital, Dundee, last night where doctors said his condition remained serious. The Oldham-born wildlife painter moved to the tiny village of Guthrie, Angus, three years ago and has spent much of his time painting and working with bats. Neighbours know him affectionately as the "batman".
His doctors believe he has the rare paralytic form of rabies, where paralysis spreads from the feet through the body and into the brain. There is no cure.
SNH was yesterday checking all its records in an attempt to track down the colony which may have housed a bat infected with EBL.
A spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said around 200 bats had been culled each year for the last 15 years and the disease had never been found.
