THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even after the first outbreak of Nipah virus six years ago, and back-to-back virus outbreaks since 2018, Kerala has yet to set up a scientific study of the biology of fruit-eating bats suspected to be the source of the zoonotic (NiV) virus. Till now, even after 26 cases have been reported in the state, the source of the transmission of the virus to humans has not been established scientifically. Only Nipah virus antibodies are detected in bats’ bodies.
Though the state health department succeeded in preventing the deaths considerably due to Nipah virus after 17 fatalities in 2018, the government has not entrusted any scientific body, which deals with zoonotic diseases and animal behaviour, to study and find the source of transmission.
“Till the source is traced the Nipah virus infections will recur,” head of the Wildlife Biology Department at KFRI Balakrishnan Peroth told TNIE.
“KFRI has all the expertise, human resources and infrastructure to carry out a scientific study on the biology of bats. Now, we are dealing with the virus only on medical terms. We have to know whether it is seasonal, happens only during breeding seasons, and whether it transmits through any other animals rather than bats. For that we have to map the roosts of bats,” he said.
Though KFRI has researchers and students who deal with bats, the state government has yet to approach the institute.
As part of the Citizen Science Project to study the characteristics of the bats locally and bring awareness to the public, KFRI has mapped 160 bat roosts across the state.
“NiV virus could be transmitted through other animals such as pigs, cows, mongoose cats and dogs. We have yet to establish in Kerala that the virus is transmitted to humans through bats. In Malaysia, it was detected in domestic pigs. The importance of scientific study arises here,” Balakrishnan said.
According to scientists, unlike Bangladesh and Malaysia where the source was properly identified, in Kerala, there is always a missing link while investigating the index cases.
In the studies conducted by the National Institute for Biological Study, which have not been published officially, it is reportedly revealed that in the samples collected from the fruits soon after the bats ate them, the NiV virus was not detected.
As part of the study, the scientists also came across people who had consumed bat meat for over 20-30 years.
The scientists also stressed the need for a scientific study on the anthropogenic disturbances facing fruit-eating bats.
“Bats, as mammals, are very social animals. It has a lifespan of 20-30 years. It gives birth to a single baby, sometimes two. It has a very closely-knit social life. The virus comes out when its environment is disturbed and it undergoes a stressful situation. In the months of breeding from July to October it becomes weak. However, to categorically say it we need scientific facts. To kill the bats and spread panic will only deteriorate the situation,” Nithin Divakar, a PhD scholar at KFRI, told TNIE.
