Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat. Photo Credit: Keith Hudson
MONTGOMERY-You may have heard that the newly discovered coronavirus disease came from bats. However, that is not exactly accurate. Coronaviruses, abbreviated “CoVs,” are a family of viruses that cause a variety of diseases in mammals and birds, including cows, pigs, rodents, bats, cats, dogs, and chickens. There are also four known CoVs that cause common cold infections in humans. These CoVs have been with humans for hundreds of years.
The source of the newly discovered coronavirus, called “SARS-CoV-2,” causing the disease COVID-19 is currently unknown. Scientists agree it probably originated in bats and jumped to an intermediate animal host where it acquired the ability to infect humans, a process called zoonosis. Zoonotic diseases are those diseases that are caused by the passing of germs from animals to humans, or from humans to animals. A variety of animals have been suggested as the intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2, but we really don’t know.
There is no current evidence to suggest animals play a significant role in spreading COVID-19 and the risk of people contracting it from animals is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Conversely, there is concern among scientists that humans could infect wildlife with SARS-CoV-2, a process known as reverse zoonosis. North American bats do carry CoVs but they are not known to carry SARS-CoV-2. Risk assessments and clinical trials are currently being conducted to determine if North American bats can be infected.
Why is SARS-CoV-2 a concern for Alabama bats? Alabama’s bats eat millions of insects each night providing over $4 billion in pest control services to North American agriculture (our food industry) annually. Although you are not likely going to contract COVID-19 from a bat, we may potentially give it to bats, and that could be catastrophic for our food security. If you encounter a bat or any other wildlife the best thing to do is leave it alone, for the benefit of your health and for theirs.
To learn more about bat species found in Alabama check out Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resoures Watchable Wildlife Page.
Media Release/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
