Rabies Scare at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium?

Officials are warning fans who attended the Aug. 17 preseason game between the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions about possible rabies exposure. During the game at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium, a bat reportedly landed on a fan. Though the bat was brushed away and disappeared without incident, authorities are advising anyone who may have come into contact with a bat at the game to contact their local health department. Not only are bats common carriers of rabies, animals infected with the virus often demonstrate changes in behavior, wild animals often becoming friendlier, which could explain why the bat landed in the crowd.

Open-air facilities are no stranger to pest problems; rodents are the bane of any concessions worker. More recently, a common and annoying pest has been raising concern. Once a mostly harmless nuisance, communities are taking action and spraying parks and playgrounds to curb the mosquito populations as the nation experiences the highest number of West Nile virus cases in more than a decade, and health officials are urging both athletes and fans at sporting events to take protective measures to avoid exposure during games and practices.