Human–Bat Interactions in Rural West Africa

Abstract

Because some bats host viruses with zoonotic potential, we investigated human–bat interactions in rural Ghana during 2011–2012. Nearly half (46.6%) of respondents regularly visited bat caves; 37.4% had been bitten, scratched, or exposed to bat urine; and 45.6% ate bat meat. Human–bat interactions in rural Ghana are frequent and diverse.

Keywords

• bats
• virus reservoir
• Ebola
• SARS
• severe acute respiratory syndrome
• MERS