Bats are susceptible to infection, may be persistently viraemic and shed virus in saliva. They are the only species where rabies is always avirulent.

- Incubation period variable but can be long (10 days to 12 months; usually less than 3 months); increases with the distance of the bite from the CNS.

- Primary replication occurs in the muscle fibres at the site of inoculation then gains access to the nerve fibres where the virus travels towards the brain (centripetal migration) where it replicates followed by "centrifugal" migration down the cranial nerves replicating in the salivary gland and cornea.

- Virus excretion in saliva and tears. Virus may be shed before classical symptoms, that is, when there is fever, slight changes in temperament and dilation of pupils. Overt clinical signs develop after salivary excretion of virus.