Ebola, Bats and Evidence-Based Policy Informing Ebola Policy

• Published in: EcoHealth Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 9 - 11
• Main Authors: Wood, James L. N., Cunningham, Andrew A., Suu-Ire, Richard D., Jephcott, Freya L., Ntiamoa-Baidu, Yaa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.03.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Africa, Western - epidemiology; Animal Ecology; Animals; Bats; Chiroptera - virology; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Disease Reservoirs - veterinary; Disease Reservoirs - virology; Ebola virus; Ecosystems; Environmental Health; Forum; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - epidemiology; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - prevention & control; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - transmission; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - veterinary; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Microbiology; Public Health; Water and Health; Wildlife; Zoonoses; Zoonoses - epidemiology; Zoonoses - prevention & control; Zoonoses - transmission; Epidemic Wave; Bush Meat; Reservoir Host; Zoonotic Virus; Public Health Message
• ISSN: 1612-9202; 1612-9210; 1612-9210
• DOI: 10.1007/s10393-015-1050-3

Consumption of bats (and other wildlife) has always been common in West Africa (Kamins et al. 2011). Although Ebola in people has previously been associated with direct transmission from fruit bats (Leroy et al. 2009), the risks from bat viruses are not new and immediate, but are long-established and of low probability. This needs to be reected in the communication of the public health message.