Covid-19 poo test for bats may help pandemic monitoring: Study

A SARSCoV2 test for bats using faecal samples could boost understanding of how wild animals transmit viruses to other animals and humansThe test developed by researchers at Imperial College London could be adapted for other mammals This could help researchers understand the potential for wildlife to act as reservoirs of this and other risky virusesThe innovation published in the journal Conservation Practice amp Policy may also help conservation efforts Currently bats that are in the care of people who have tested positive for SARSCoV2 must be isolated in case they have contracted the virus and until testing demonstrates they are free of the virusPresently animals have to be handled to be tested for SARSCoV2 or other viruses via a swab or blood sample The researchers believe the new poo test could be adapted to create a rapid accurate and practical test for coronaviruses in a variety of settings from individual animals in care to population testingFor example they could sample the guano from bat caves or leavings from other mammals that may be in frequent contact with bat populationsThe teams test protocol was trialled with several captive and around 250 wild bats as part of a larger study They discovered none were positive for SARSCoV2 although some were positive for other coronavirusesThere is a growing need to understand the potential risk of human to wildlife transmission said Scott Jones from Department of Life Sciences at ImperialWhile SARSCoV2 and other similar viruses including SARSCoV1 and MERS are thought to have first arisen in bats they appear to use an intermediate mammal host before they can be transmitted to humans civets and camels for SARSCoV1 and MERS respectivelyThis means many wild animals are potential reservoirs of viruses SARSCoV2 has also been detected in animals ranging from house cats and dogs to deer and gorillasA simple faecal test could allow researchers to conduct study on wild populations more safely and efficiently than using blood tests or swabbing and identify the presence of any viruses of concernNot only will our new testing protocol help bats but it will also help humans by mitigating against spillover of SARSCoV2 to other wild animals We designed it with the best interests of both the wildlife and their rehabilitators in mind said Professor Vincent Savolainen from the Department of Life Sciences at ImperialThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever