Abstract
<p class="1Body">Bats are well-recognized reservoirs of a number of zoonotic viruses including henipavirus. The straw-coloured fruit bat (<em>Eidolon helvum</em>) and the Gambian epauletted fruit bat (<em>Epomophorus gambianus)</em> can in found in many parts of Ghana, raising concerns about the possibility of a spillover of henipavirus from bats to humans. However the context-specific socio-economic factors that may increase points of contact between bats and humans have still not been adequately identified. Using a number of participatory methods, this in-depth investigation sought to understand the behavioural and socio-economic factors that could facilitate henipavirus spillover to humans in Ghana. Direct exposure included people coming into contact with fresh bat meat through eating, hunting and processing bat meat. Indirect exposure included sitting, selling under bat roosts as well as exposure to bat faeces through contaminated water. Gender was most strongly associated with exposure, compared to age and education. Perceptions of disease risk from bats were generally low among respondents. The study highlights the complexities of sustainably managing a potential henipavirus spillover into humans in Ghana. It recommends the establishment of a multidisciplinary team made up of ecologists, social scientists, legal, veterinary and public health experts to manage such a spillover. The paper also recommends continuous education to encourage behavioural changes in people and to develop sustainable and relevant zoonoses prevention practices especially among identified groups at risk.</p>
Highlights
An estimated 70% of emerging and re-emerging human infections are zoonotic (Jones et al, 2008)
Indirect exposure was through livelihood activities that brought people close to bats such as farming, sitting and/or selling under bat roosts, as well as exposure to bat faeces through contaminated water as was reported in Ve-Golokuati
Bat hunting and consumption was higher in Tanoboase and the 37 Military Hospital study area, probably because the major bat species found at these two sites E. helvum, was bigger
Summary
An estimated 70% of emerging and re-emerging human infections are zoonotic (Jones et al, 2008). Bats are considered to be natural reservoirs of pathogenic viruses including Filoviruses (Ebola and Marburg viruses), Paramyxoviruses (Hendra and Nipah viruses, and Tioman virus), Lyssaviruses and Coronaviruses (Han et al, 2015; Paterson et al, 2014; Taylor et al, 2001) These viruses have attracted global attention in recent years for their severity and/or easy transmission (Han et al, 2015). Bats are potentially effective transmitters of emerging infectious diseases because they are capable of travelling long distances (Wang & Cowled, 2015) They may feed on farms and commercial orchards, which often have domestic animals, and which can serve as amplifier hosts (Li et al, 2005; Breed et al, 2006). Knowledge of these issues is vital in determining groups at risk of henipavirus spillover and for sustainably managing a possible zoonotic disease spillover
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