Faculty Mentor

Dr. Krisztian Magori

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2020

Department

Biology

Abstract

Bats, order Chiroptera, comprise more than 20 percent of all living mammal species with more than 1100 species. Bats are organisms that have high body temperatures and metabolic rates. Therefore, viral adaptation to febrile conditions in the bat host might explain the high reservoir competence that distinguishes these organisms from other mammalian hosts. The purpose of this study is to present a comparative meta-review of the available evidence in order to investigate and identify the reasons or characteristics as to what makes bats special reservoirs for so many different pathogens. Our investigation will not focus on a particular bat species, or region but more on overall important characteristics that have been found to make bats overall great reservoirs for pathogens. Identifying these characteristics, as well as their respective mechanisms, will aid in understanding of why these organisms are such special hosts. Additionally, we will incorporate the studies on three diseases that have been known to infect humans: SARS-CoV, Marburg Virus, and Nipah Virus.

The research was conducted through the analysis of systematic literature reviews. The study will be focusing on bats as hosts by analyzing different articles on varying diseases that have been associated with bats and the pathogen they carry to help answer the question. The research will show how the pathogen causing the disease is able to get transmitted to other animals. The main focus will attempt to answer the question on whether bats have something special allowing them to be reservoirs for so many different pathogens.

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