Ecological dynamics of emerging bat virus spillover

Viruses that originate in bats may be the most notorious emerging zoonoses that spill over from wildlife into domestic animals and humans. Understanding how these infections filter through ecological systems to cause disease in humans is of profound importance to public health. Transmission of viruses from bats to humans requires a hierarchy of enabling conditions that connect the distribution of reservoir hosts, viral infection within these hosts, and exposure and susceptibility of recipient hosts. For many emerging bat viruses, spillover also requires viral shedding from bats, and survival of the virus in the environment. Focusing on Hendra virus, but also addressing Nipah virus, Ebola virus, Marburg virus…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• CT
  Cedar Tree Foundation
• RI
  Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
• QG
  Queensland Government
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• SA
  Science and Technology Directorate
• FI
  Fogarty International Center