Lawson Elaine T, Ayivor Jesse S, Ohemeng Fidelia, Ntiamoa-Baidu Yaa
Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), College of Basic and Applied, Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, College of Humanities, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Zoonoses Public Health. 2019 Feb;66(1):108-116. doi: 10.1111/zph.12540. Epub 2018 Nov 14.
Zoonotic pathogens cause an estimated 70% of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in humans, affecting various aspects of human development on a global scale. The significance of bats as a source of emerging infectious diseases is being progressively appreciated. This study was undertaken post-Ebola virus disease in West Africa and assessed the public health implications of human-bat interactions by exploring the reasons for contact between humans and bats, as well as reported actions taken upon experiencing bat bites or scratches. The paper highlights the nuances of human-bat interactions, stressing zoonotic disease risk awareness as well as the sources of information. The study used questionnaires to solicit information from 788 respondents in five communities with significant bat populations. We show that bat consumption was one of the main reasons for human-bat interactions. More men across the various communities ate bat meat. Only a small number of respondents (4.4%) reported being bitten by a bat, and 6.1% had been scratched by a bat. More than 21% had come into direct contact with bat blood. An even lower number went to the hospital after been bitten or scratched by bats. There was little knowledge on post-exposure management. The most common places human-bat interactions occurred were at home and on farms. Seventy-three per cent of the respondents believed that bats carried diseases, with Ebola virus disease being the most mentioned. Respondents indicated that the way they interacted with bats had not changed, even though they believed bats carried diseases and 46% stated that they had not changed the way they interacted with bats over the last two years. Apart from providing information on avoiding bites and scratches, a more holistic framework is needed to reduce human-bat interactions. The paper recommends a comprehensive and coordinated approach to optimizing an effective response to a potential bat-borne zoonotic disease spillover.
人畜共患病原体导致了估计70%的人类新出现和再次出现的传染病，在全球范围内影响着人类发展的各个方面。蝙蝠作为新出现传染病来源的重要性正逐渐得到认可。本研究在西非埃博拉病毒病疫情之后开展，通过探究人类与蝙蝠接触的原因以及报告在遭遇蝙蝠叮咬或抓伤后采取的行动，评估了人类与蝙蝠互动对公共卫生的影响。本文强调了人类与蝙蝠互动的细微差别，强调了人畜共患病风险意识以及信息来源。该研究使用问卷从五个有大量蝙蝠种群的社区的788名受访者中收集信息。我们发现食用蝙蝠是人类与蝙蝠互动的主要原因之一。各个社区中吃蝙蝠肉的男性更多。只有少数受访者（4.4%）报告被蝙蝠叮咬过，6.1%的人曾被蝙蝠抓伤。超过21%的人曾直接接触过蝙蝠血液。被蝙蝠叮咬或抓伤后去医院的人更少。对暴露后管理的了解很少。人类与蝙蝠互动最常见的地点是在家中和农场。73%的受访者认为蝙蝠携带疾病，其中埃博拉病毒病被提及最多。受访者表示，尽管他们认为蝙蝠携带疾病，但他们与蝙蝠互动的方式并未改变，46%的人表示在过去两年里他们与蝙蝠互动的方式没有改变。除了提供避免被叮咬和抓伤的信息外，还需要一个更全面的框架来减少人类与蝙蝠的互动。本文建议采取全面协调的方法，以优化对潜在的蝙蝠传播的人畜共患病溢出事件的有效应对。
