Human-Bat Interactions in Rural West Africa

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Aug;21(8):1418-21. doi: 10.3201/eid2108.142015.

Abstract

Because some bats host viruses with zoonotic potential, we investigated human-bat interactions in rural Ghana during 2011-2012. Nearly half (46.6%) of respondents regularly visited bat caves; 37.4% had been bitten, scratched, or exposed to bat urine; and 45.6% ate bat meat. Human-bat interactions in rural Ghana are frequent and diverse.

Keywords: Ebola; MERS; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Nipah; SARS; West Africa; bats; severe acute respiratory syndrome; virus reservoir; viruses; zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Diseases / epidemiology
  • Animal Diseases / transmission*
  • Animals
  • Chiroptera / virology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Diet, Paleolithic / adverse effects*
  • Disease Reservoirs / statistics & numerical data
  • Disease Reservoirs / virology
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Ghana / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Rural Population*
  • Zoonoses / transmission*
  • Zoonoses / virology