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Australian Bat Lyssavirus: Analysis of National Bat Surveillance Data from 2010 to 2016.
- Source :
-
Viruses [Viruses] 2021 Jan 27; Vol. 13 (2). Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Jan 27. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) was first described in 1996 and has been regularly detected in Australian bats since that time. While the virus does not cause population level impacts in bats and has minimal impacts on domestic animals, it does pose a public health risk. For this reason, bats are monitored for ABLV and a national dataset is collated and maintained by Wildlife Health Australia. The 2010-2016 dataset was analysed using logistic regression and time-series analysis to identify predictors of infection status in bats and the factors associated with human exposure to bats. In common with previous passive surveillance studies, we found that little red flying-foxes ( Pteropus scapulatus ) are more likely than other species to be infected with ABLV. In the four Australian mainland species of flying-fox, there are seasonal differences in infection risk that may be associated with reproductive cycles, with summer and autumn the seasons of greatest risk. The risk of human contact was also seasonal, with lower risk in winter. In line with other studies, we found that the circumstances in which the bat is encountered, such as exhibiting abnormal behaviour or being grounded, are risk factors for ABLV infection and human contact and should continue be key components of public health messaging. We also found evidence of biased recording of some types of information, which made interpretation of some findings more challenging. Strengthening of "One Health" linkages between public health and animal health services at the operational level could help overcome these biases in future, and greater harmonisation nationally would increase the value of the dataset.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Australia epidemiology
Chiroptera classification
Female
Humans
Male
One Health
Rhabdoviridae Infections epidemiology
Rhabdoviridae Infections transmission
Rhabdoviridae Infections virology
Risk Factors
Seasons
Species Specificity
Viral Zoonoses
Chiroptera virology
Epidemiological Monitoring veterinary
Lyssavirus
Rhabdoviridae Infections veterinary
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1999-4915
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Viruses
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33513882
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/v13020189