Bat-associated microbes: Opportunities and perils, an overview

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Zoonotic Diseases
• One Health

Background:

• Bats host unique microbial communities, including ancestral pathogen lineages.
• Bat lifestyles and immunology may facilitate disease reservoir roles.
• Emerging infectious diseases often involve spillover from wildlife, including bats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on bat-associated zoonoses.
• To identify knowledge gaps in pathogen transmission dynamics.
• To highlight research needs for preventing bat-origin disease outbreaks.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on bat-associated pathogens.
• Analysis of molecular phylogenetic data.
• Discussion of metagenomic approaches for microbiome analysis.

Main Results:

• Bats harbor diverse bacteria, protozoa, and viruses with zoonotic potential.
• Environmental changes and human-wildlife interactions drive pathogen spillover.
• Domestic animals can amplify bat-origin pathogens for human transmission.

Conclusions:

• Further research is needed to understand bat pathogen transmission routes.
• Metagenomics can reveal pathogen dynamics in bat microbiomes.
• Targeted research and resource allocation are essential for future outbreak preparedness.