Bat’s Role in Emergence and Spillover of Viral Zoonotic Diseases: A Review

Abstract

Several human infections have emerged in the last three decades, most of them are attributed to wildlife origin. Two third of the emerging zoonotic infections are attributed to viruses. Emerging and re-emerging fatal viral diseases like Nipah virus disease, Hendra Virus disease, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Ebola and Marburg haemorrhagic fever have been witnessed recently, causative agents of which have been associated with bats. Ecology of bats influences the host-pathogen interaction and is responsible for harbouring several viruses, which under favourable conditions spill over to intermediate hosts. Conditions and events, such as deforestation, agricultural and livestock practices, animal migration and trade, eco-tourism, urbanization and other anthropogenic factors, greatly influence the successful interspecies transmission and emergence/re-emergence of zoonoses. This review highlights, the bats ecological factors and human-bat interface, responsible for zoonotic outbreaks in past. The implementation of an integrated approach is needed for unravelling the host-virus dynamics as well as providing mutually beneficial solutions for bat conservation and safeguarding animal and public health at a global level.