Researchers in Uganda have discovered a complex network of animals feeding on bats infected with Marburg virus, for the first time capturing startling footage of potential spillover risks.
The observations, caught on camera traps placed outside the entrance to “Python Cave” in Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda, are the first confirmation “of a dynamic, multispecies exposure network at a known Marburg virus site”, the researchers say.
Yeah, as the researchers point out the monkeys snatching bats is particularly worrying. I wonder if vaccinating not only the bats but also their predators would help prevent zoonotic spillover. In particular, I wonder if vaccinating them against viruses targeting other species they’re interacting with would help.
