The Key to Preventing Future Pandemics May Lie in the Study of Bat Physiology

Being the sole mammal capable of genuine flight, bats have developed a range of distinctive traits that enable their bodies to adapt to the physical demands of nocturnal flapping.

Having a resilient physique reduces the likelihood of infections causing significant harm. For species like us, lacking such robust immune systems, possessing the ability to tolerate deadly microbes turns every bat colony into a potential source of disease, akin to Pandora’s Box.

Filling the Gap in Pandemic Prevention Research Related to Infected Bats

While the concept of infected bats potentially triggering future pandemics is straightforward, a comprehensive theory has been missing, hindering the development of accurate models capable of addressing the pertinent questions for safeguarding against outbreaks originating from different species.

Therefore, a team of researchers from the United States and Canada conducted a thorough review of existing literature to establish a framework enabling them to simulate the proliferation and transmission of viruses within bat populations, between bats, and between bats and other animals.

Throughout history, there have been numerous instances of zoonotic diseases—microbes that evolve the means to infect human bodies without understanding the concept of human manners. From rabies to avian influenza, toxoplasmosis to Ebola, a wide range of infectious agents pose a threat of ‘spillover’ from animals, whether pets, livestock, or wildlife, into the human population.

Examining the Validity of Their Reputation in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Bats, despite their resilience, have been unfairly stigmatized as reservoirs of particularly harmful pathogens. This reputation, to some extent, is justified. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a tragic reminder of the consequences when a virus shared among bats makes the leap into the human population, and it’s not an isolated incident.

Moving beyond broad generalizations, the bat’s interactions with viruses offer valuable insights that can guide our observations in other species.

One common method for predicting the risk of viral spillover between species relies on the degree of genetic relatedness between those organisms.

Microbes that are adapted to thrive within one human body can easily transition to another individual, although they may not necessarily cause significant harm in the new host.

Conversely, a virus originating from a distantly related animal might face obstacles when establishing itself in a human body, but if it manages to do so, the consequences can be quite disruptive.

The researchers’ theory, however, prioritizes the tolerance of a potential reservoir to infection.

How Different Hosts React to Pathogens Impacts Disease Outcomes

Not all hosts respond to pathogens in the same manner. Distinct immune systems have unique ways of either repelling or accommodating specific pathogens, defending against illness by either eradicating the intruder or tolerating its presence.

Resisting infection typically thwarts any potential cross-species transmission, curtailing the growth of pathogens before they can establish a substantial presence.

On the contrary, tolerance allows pathogens to proliferate rapidly without causing harm to their host’s health. Animals capable of shielding themselves from a microbe’s chemical weaponry tend to live longer, providing the microbe with an opportunity to grow unchecked.

However, if this tolerance is anything less than absolute, it could spell disaster for the host population, as the uncontrolled growth of the pathogen swiftly eradicates all susceptible individuals.

“In presenting a theoretical framework to elucidate this phenomenon, we formulate a series of testable inquiries and hypotheses for future immunological investigations, to be conducted at both in vitro and in vivo levels,” the researchers conclude in their recently published report.

Naturally, it’s impractical to conduct a comprehensive immunological assessment on every potential reservoir within the animal kingdom. Nonetheless, according to this new framework, an animal’s longevity could serve as a reasonable proxy. After all, animals that can endure diseases akin to bats are expected to have relatively extended lifespans as well.

While we may not possess the robust constitutions of winged mammals, that doesn’t mean we can’t draw valuable lessons from them that might assist in averting future pandemics.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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