In a study that brings bats into the limelight for being carriers of some of the world’s deadliest viruses, a team of scientists at CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), in Geelong Victoria, are ascertaining ways by which bats can be stopped from spreading disease to other animals and humans.
Interestingly, according to the study lead Dr Linfa Wang, though bats are carriers of deadly diseases, they themselves do not suffer any ill-effects – thanks to their highly effective immune system that provides them with broad spectrum protection against viral attack.
Specifically, bats – which may appear as rather harmless mammals to most people - have been identified as the main source of viruses that are involved in ‘host-switching’ incidents, including Hendra, Ebola and SARS; but they have apparently developed the ability to tolerate infections with these pathogens which can otherwise be fatal when spread to other mammals.
Clearly, with bats having some type of ‘viral radar’ that prevents them from being infected themselves; the CSIRO is planning a comprehensive research program into bats so as to protect the health of people and livestock.
The program, outlined by Wang at the 1st International One Health Congress in Melbourne, will aim at better understanding bat immunology and also identifying specific strategies to control the viruses that bats spread to other animals and humans.
Source http://topnews.net.nz/reports/211922-bats-carriers-some-world-s-deadliest-viruses
Interestingly, according to the study lead Dr Linfa Wang, though bats are carriers of deadly diseases, they themselves do not suffer any ill-effects – thanks to their highly effective immune system that provides them with broad spectrum protection against viral attack.
Specifically, bats – which may appear as rather harmless mammals to most people - have been identified as the main source of viruses that are involved in ‘host-switching’ incidents, including Hendra, Ebola and SARS; but they have apparently developed the ability to tolerate infections with these pathogens which can otherwise be fatal when spread to other mammals.
Clearly, with bats having some type of ‘viral radar’ that prevents them from being infected themselves; the CSIRO is planning a comprehensive research program into bats so as to protect the health of people and livestock.
The program, outlined by Wang at the 1st International One Health Congress in Melbourne, will aim at better understanding bat immunology and also identifying specific strategies to control the viruses that bats spread to other animals and humans.
Source http://topnews.net.nz/reports/211922-bats-carriers-some-world-s-deadliest-viruses
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