Bats are a diverse mammalian species that are abundant and geographically well dispersed. These mammals have certain adaptation features such as their colonial or solitary nature, food choices, migratory preferences, life span, hibernation and viral susceptibility making them suitable hosts/vectors for many viruses and other disease causing agents. These animals are also endowed with a powerful immune system thanks to their ability to fly. Bats produce an extremely strong immune response against viruses which thwarts the viral infection in such a way that these viruses are able to adapt faster in their hosts resulting in their evolution and replication into deadlier agents of disease. These ‘disease incubators’ have been instrumental in spreading many harmful viruses including Rabies, Ebola, Marburg, SARS and NIPAH and have been responsible for many emerging zoonotic diseases that have taken humans by surprise in the last 50 years.
More
about this journal
Be notified
as new articles are published