Serosurvey of Chikungunya Virus in Old World Fruit Bats, Senegal, 2020–2022

Abstract

We conducted a cross-sectional serosurvey for chikungunya virus (CHIKV) exposure in fruit bats in Senegal during 2020–2023. We found that 13.3% (89/671) of bats had CHIKV IgG; highest prevalence was in Eidolon helvum (18.3%, 15/82) and Epomophorus gambianus (13.7%, 63/461) bats. Our results suggest these bats are naturally exposed to CHIKV.

Keywords

• Chikungunya virus
• Old World fruit bats
• Senegal
• viruses
• zoonoses
• vector-borne infections