BATAssociated

Bat-associated is a term used in biology and epidemiology to describe pathogens, infections, or ecological relationships in which bats are the natural reservoir or primary host. It denotes that bats maintain the agent in nature and that spillover to other species, including humans, can occur under certain circumstances.

Common bat-associated pathogens include rabies virus (Lyssavirus), which is widely distributed and often linked to bat populations in many regions; Nipah and Hendra viruses, bat-derived henipaviruses with documented spillover to humans or domestic animals; and coronaviruses related to SARS and other bat coronaviruses detected in various bat species, particularly horseshoe bats. Marburg virus has been linked to fruit bats and is considered a bat-associated filovirus; evidence also points to bats as reservoirs for some Ebola viruses, though spillover dynamics are complex and vary by outbreak.

Transmission to humans can occur through direct contact with bats or their bodily fluids, bites, or contamination of wounds, as well as indirectly via intermediate hosts or environmental exposure to bat guano or urine. Spillover events are relatively rare but can cause significant public health impacts, especially when intermediate hosts amplify transmission.

Public health and conservation considerations emphasize understanding bat ecology to reduce spillover risk without harming bat populations, which provide essential ecological services such as insect control and pollination. Surveillance, safe bat-handling practices, vaccination of domestic animals, and habitat preservation are common strategies in managing bat-associated disease risk.