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Abstract

Using questionnaires and serologic testing, we evaluated bat and lyssavirus exposure among persons in an area of Nigeria that celebrates a bat festival. Bats from festival caves underwent serologic testing for phylogroup II lyssaviruses (Lagos bat virus, Shimoni bat virus, Mokola virus). The enrolled households consisted of 2,112 persons, among whom 213 (10%) were reported to have ever had bat contact (having touched a bat, having been bitten by a bat, or having been scratched by a bat) and 52 (2%) to have ever been bitten by a bat. Of 203 participants with bat contact, 3 (1%) had received rabies vaccination. No participant had neutralizing antibodies to phylogroup II lyssaviruses, but >50% of bats had neutralizing antibodies to these lyssaviruses. Even though we found no evidence of phylogroup II lyssavirus exposure among humans, persons interacting with bats in the area could benefit from practicing bat-related health precautions.

Keywords: Lyssavirus; Nigeria; bats; rabies; viruses; zoonoses; zoonotic disease.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Bat hunters and bats captured during a bat festival, Idanre area, Nigeria, 2013. A) Bat hunters with slingshots and bats captured during a bat festival. B) Bats captured during a bat festival. C) Bat hunter with a bat captured during a bat festival.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Locations of festival caves and households enrolled in 2 community surveys and a bat hunter survey of bat exposures, Idanre area, Nigeria, 2010 and 2013. Inset map shows location of Idanre area within Nigeria.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Timeline of events for 2 community surveys, a bat hunter survey, and a follow-up survey of bat exposures, Idanre area, Nigeria, 2010 and 2013.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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