Viruses carried by bats are silently infecting more than 65,000 people a year in Southeast Asia, a new study has confirmed
Researchers from the US-based non-governmental organization EcoHealth Alliance developed a model detailing the viruses transmitted to humans by 26 species of bats in Southeast Asia, The Independent reports.
The scientists then used disease prevalence, demographic data and risk assessments to calculate how many people are infected with these viruses each year.
The experts concluded that viruses carried by bats infect about 66,000 people a year.
“We estimate that about 66,000 people in Southeast Asia are infected with bat-borne viruses each year. This has not been discovered by previous clinical studies.”
The researchers also noted that many annual cases of bat virus go undetected because they resemble other diseases.
While more data is needed to confirm these findings, scientists say the research could help design monitoring and prevention programs in areas at high risk of spreading these diseases.
