Data and R code for "Opportunistic evidence that Staph infection affects social integration in vampire bats"

Social integration affects susceptibility to infection, and conversely, infectious disease can reduce social activity. It remains unclear, however, to what extent short-term infections might affect the formation of enduring social bonds. During a previous study on the formation of new allogrooming relationships among 21 vampire bats, we used antibiotics to treat unplanned <em>Staphylococcus</em> skin infections in 9 bats, including 5 bats that recovered and 4 bats that suffered lasting injuries that prevented sustained flight. We compared the behaviors of the Staph-infected bats to healthy controls, and analyzed changes in allogrooming over time among infected and healthy bats that were familiar or unfamiliar. Relative to healthy bats, the 9 staph-infected bats spent less time moving and allogrooming and the 4 bats that suffered injuries received less grooming from new partners. These differences faded during 3 months of recovery. This pattern is consistent with the hypothesis that acute infections impact the development of social relationships. Our findings raise questions about how short-term infections might impact long-term social integration or partner choice.