A cross-sectional survey on bat human interaction in Pakistan: one health perspective

Background and Aim Serologic evidence has identified Lyssavirus exposure
among bats in the Indian subcontinent. This study aims to investigate the
perception of people regarding bats and the frequency of bat human
interaction with One Health implications. Material and Method A
cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire among
individuals (n=1466) in two distinct topographic residential backgrounds
(Mountainous and Plain regions) in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
in Pakistan. Result A considerable number of respondents (28%) reported
bat’s left fruits in their gardens. People who saw bat left fruits in
their garden had also reported more bat conflict incidences (32%) as
compared to those who had not seen bat left fruit (16%). A higher
proportion of respondents from the mountainous districts (23%) reported
bat conflict incidents, compared to the plain region respondents (17%).
Univariate analysis model also highlighted that topographic residential
background (mountainous vs plain residential area) had significance
(p<0.05) in describing bat conflict and suspected human
rabies-related deaths, in comparison with provincial residential
background (Punjab vs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).   Conclusion Our
findings indicate the necessity of a One Health comprehensive surveillance
system for emerging and re-emerging zoonotic pathogens, including wildlife
as a potential Lyssavirus reservoir, within a context of increased public
health education efforts targeted at bats. Epidemiologic and ecologic
investigations, as well as laboratory characterization of the virus
responsible for human deaths in the mountainous regions, in Pakistan, will
provide essential information required to develop strategies for zoonotic
pathogen prevention and control.