Ebola virus found in bat in West Africa for the first time, say scientists

Scientists suspect a long-fingered bat in Liberia is carrying a species of Ebola virus called Ebolavirus Zaire. (IStock)

The Ebola virus was found in a bat in Liberia, the country's government and scientists from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health announced this week.

The discovery marks the first time that the virus has been found in a bat in West Africa, although it has already been found in bats in Central Africa, according to the Tech Times.

MONITORED FACTORY TO AVOID POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO EBOLA, WITH "UNDEVELOPED" DISEASE, DECLARES MEDICAL FACILITY OF NEBRASKA

The University's Mailman School of Public Health said in a statement Thursday that scientists had discovered "genetic material from the virus and antibodies to Ebolavirus" in a larger, long-fingered bat located in the Nimna district in Liberia.

Preliminary tests indicate that a specific strain of the virus – Zaire's Ebolavirus – could have been found in bats. The ebolavirus of Zaire is "responsible for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which affected nearly 30,000 people between 2013 and 2016," according to the Mailman release School of Public Health.

"The Zaire ebolavirus is also responsible for the ongoing epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is now the second most deadly Ebola epidemic in history," added Dr. # 39; school.

Although no human case of Ebola has been badociated with the discovery and there has been no new human case of the virus in Liberia since the end of the year. In 2016, this discovery is important because it could help researchers better understand the origins of human cases of Ebola. .

"This discovery is a major breakthrough in understanding how Ebola outbreaks occur," said Jonathan Epstein, a scientist with the EcoHealth badociation, who worked on research in a communicated.

"It is essential to identify animals naturally carrying the Ebola virus and related viruses – without knowing it, we can not really understand and reduce the risk of another outbreak in the region," he said. Explain.

HOSPITAL SWEDISH, A PATIENT OF EBOLA IS EXPECTED

Scientists have already suspected bats to be an animal host of the virus. Specifically, for the big bat with long fingers, scientists will have to find more than one bat of this species to determine whether or not it is a natural reservoir. , or a host, of the Ebola virus, according to the Washington Post.

The scientists felt more research was needed, but the Liberian government chose to announce the news in order to "educate local communities about this discovery to reduce exposure and educate them." the population on the positive effects of bat species on pest control and the environment, "According to the release.