Thread by @realscientists

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Today I'd like to start by talking about a topic that has received more attention recently: bats & diseases.
[A thread]

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Do bats carry more viruses than other animals? A recent study suggests there are many viruses hosted by bats simply b/c there are many species of bats, not because they are more inherently dangerous to humans than other mammals.
pnas.org/content/117/17…

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#Bats are AMAZINGLY adept at not getting sick from viruses. Unlike us, bats have mechanisms that reduce viral replication & dampen immune response to viruses. The result: their immune systems control viruses but they don't get sick.
sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/…

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Immune reactions in #bats may be dampened as a trade-off for flight. Flight requires exertion & creates unstable molecules. It's better for the bat to ignore viruses than suffer autoimmune symptoms from flying.

nytimes.com/2020/12/11/opi…
@DavidQuammen

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Studying bats' immune systems can provide new treatments to fight human diseases! E.g. #bats have mutated/eliminated several genes involved in inflammation; scientists can develop drugs to inhibit these genes in us to treat disease.
cell.com/cell-metabolis…

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So what about #COVID19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus? Check out this insightful video by @BatConIntl Chief Scientist @FrickWinifred

vimeo.com/441883279

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In a nutshell: A virus hosted by one bat species, the Intermediate horsehshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis), seems to be a distant relative of SARS-CoV-2. We don't know exactly how the spillover event happened from an animal to a person, or what animal it was.

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The crux of the matter is: Research shows that disturbing animal habitats is usually what causes the transfer of a zoonotic disease to humans. Bats do not seek out contact with people. It's our own actions that put us at risk.

nytimes.com/2012/07/15/sun…

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Merely being in the vicinity of bats is not cause for panic. When spillovers occur there's almost always a strong human reason. This includes hunting & trading wildlife in markets where people come into close contact with animals, increasing spillover risk

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Unfortunately, misinformation & fear have led to culling bats in some areas, which can be counterproductive.

Reducing vampire bat colonies in Peru actually resulted in higher rabies transmission in remaining bats
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.10…
@DanielStreicker

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In addition, habitat loss & culling may increase stress in bats, increasing viral shedding from infected individuals. Kind of like how when we're stressed cold sores can reappear. Increased stress can increase the risk of spillover.
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.109…

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And of course, as we saw yesterday bats provide IMMENSE benefits to the environment and to us. Check out the unrolled thread "Benefits of Bats" here: threadreaderapp.com/thread/1344039…

Getting rid of bats is NOT the way to go. So what SHOULD we do?

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Some solutions?
1) Reduce human-wildlife contact as much as possible & PROTECT NATURAL HABITAT
2) Use safety procedures & proper protective equipment (e.g. gloves) when in direct contact w/ wildlife
3) Prevent disease spread within wild animal populations

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Solution #1: Reducing encroachment into wildlife habitat, protecting remaining habitat, and combating illegal wildlife trade are KEY to preventing the next pandemic. These will not happen overnight, but are vital.

americanprogress.org/issues/green/r…
@amprog #COVID19

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Solution #2: If we do get in direct contact w/ wildlife, it's important to take proper precautions. This applies around the world. E.g. deer in the US can pass tuberculosis to people, & wearing gloves while field dressing the animal can help prevent this.

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Solution #3: Scientists like @DanielStreicker are investigating potential vaccines that can be deployed in wild bat populations to prevent disease spread among bats themselves. We already have edible rabies vaccines for vampire bats
tedmed.com/talks/show?id=…

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These solutions will not happen overnight. They will require interdisciplinary teams (disease experts, conservationists, social scientists, communications experts, health officials, the list goes on), AND support from governments & the general public

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In summary: #COVID19 & other outbreaks are not the fault of bats. Bats are wild animals just like any other wild animal that we need to respect & protect. Part of the answer lies in changing our own behaviors & the ways we interact with the natural world

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To learn more about bats & diseases, and the benefits of bats, check out these groups & resources:
@GlobalBatNet
gbatnet.blogspot.com

@BatConIntl
batcon.org/bats-covid-19-…

@_BCT_
bats.org.uk/about-bats/bat…

@bats_w_borders
batswithoutborders.org/bats-and-covid…

@threadreaderapp unroll

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You can find this full thread on the complex issue of bats & diseases unrolled here:
threadreaderapp.com/thread/1344347…