Our behaviour when interacting with bats has important implications for animal health and biosecurity. Did you know that humans give more viruses to animals than they do to us, or that there are typically between 10,000 and 10 million bacteria on each of your hands?
We thought we would highlight a selection of publications published within the last two years with relevance to people who handle bats for care or research purposes. As the full extent of risks around bats and other wildlife potentially being infected by human microbes and vice-versa remains largely unknown, a precautionary approach remains vital to minimise health risk for people and wildlife.
2025
Human-bat contacts in the Netherlands, and potential risks for virus exchange
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42522-024-00132-6
A study published in One Health Outlook used questionnaire’s to study human-bat contacts and perceptions in the Netherlands. Overall direct contacts between live bats and members of the public are rare in the Netherlands and therefore the risks for virus exchange between humans and bats are considered small. Bat contacts were more frequent in people involved in bat-related work. Mitigation of human-bat contacts is likely to be most efficient if targeted to specific groups that are likely to have contacts with bats.
2024
Widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife communities
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49891-w
A study in Nature Communications is the first documentation of the human SARS-CoV-2 virus being detected in bats. RNA in oral swabs and genomics detected SARS-CoV-2 in an Eastern red bat caught in the wild in North America, suggesting transfer to bats is possible. What we don’t know is how the bat was exposed or whether it replicated the virus and transmitted it onwards. The potential for circulation of human SARS-CoV-2 strains in wild bat populations heightens risk and advice remains to wear masks and gloves when handling bats.
Little Brown Bats (Myotis lucifugus) Are Resistant to SARS-CoV-2 Infection (2024)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39053909/
An experimental study in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases demonstrated that Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) were resistant to infection by human SARS-CoV-2, whereas Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) became infected and orally excreted moderate amounts of virus. No experiments have been conducted with UK bat species and so it is not known which if any bats in the UK could potentially circulate the virus.
Zoonotic bacterial pathogens in bats samples around the world: a scoping review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106135
A scoping review described zoonotic bacterial pathogens reported and their frequency in different bat species.146 studies that were published between 1964 and 2020 (most after 2005) were selected. In these studies, 102 zoonotic bacterial genera were described in different samples of fourteen bat families in 55 countries, suggesting the possible role of bats as hosts for these pathogens. The pathogens mainly identified in bats were Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp. and Staphylococcus species.
Bats as an Important Source of Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria: A Systematic Review
https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14010010
A review in Antibiotics detailed the current state of knowledge about antimicrobial resistance bacteria in bats. The review concludes surveillance is essential to control the emergence of resistant bacteria related to bats, which could eventually affect humans, as this is a problem of a ‘One Health’ nature, with effects on human, animal, and environmental health.
Human infection with IsrRAPXV, a novel zoonotic bat-derived poxvirus
https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiae427
A clinical investigation in The Journal of Infectious diseases detailed the findings that a bat pox virus in Egyptian fruit bats is zoonotic. Bat carers rehabilitating bats at a bat sanctuary in Israel contracted lesions, and one was hospitalized. The lesions were tested, and the presence of a pox virus was confirmed as a 100% phylogenetic match for IsrRAPXV - a bat derived pox virus. [This is not monkey pox.] Carers were not wearing gloves, and animals licked and nibbled their hands. The virus does make bats sick and can lead to bats dying, however the human cases cleared up within a few weeks. In the current wake of mpox, greater global attention is likely to be placed on biosafety for persons at risk of exposure to bats in care. To date, several diverse poxviruses have been detected among bat species in the Americas, Africa, Australia, and Europe. The status of pox viruses in UK bats is currently unknown, but a precautionary approach is to use gloves when handling bats.
Bat handlers, bat bites, and rabies: vaccination and serological testing of humans at risk
https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10.1139/facets-2024-0056
In a new review paper published in Facets (with BCT’s own Lisa Worledge a co-author), evidence is collated to support the restatement that all bat handlers should be vaccinated against rabies and undergo routine serological testing to measure their rabies virus neutralizing antibody levels. Small bites by small bats have the potential to be overlooked, but breaks in the skin, however small, may result in exposure to lyssaviruses in the animals’ saliva. Anyone handling bats regularly should use best practices to avoid exposures, such as personal protective equipment, especially gloves appropriate to the size of the bat(s) being handled.
IUCN SSC BSG Field Hygiene Guidelines
https://zenodo.org/records/12169385
These guidelines were developed by a group of wildlife professionals who work with bats in the field and who work with pathogens. In the future, there may be closer governmental scrutiny of bat research and caring, and having self-regulation developed by wildlife professionals for wildlife professionals is good practice. Bat researchers and carers have an ethical obligation to protect not just personal health, but also the health of colleagues, local communities, and the bats themselves. If enough people follow these guidelines, it could start to become strange not to follow them. Our vision is that high standards of field hygiene become normal best practice.
