• Question: Why do fruit bats give you Ebola

    Asked by EdenHazard to Joe, Jos, Kate, Lisa, Pierre on 17 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Kate Dobson

      Kate Dobson answered on 17 Nov 2014:


      Ebola and any other infectious disease has to be transmitted from another animal or person with the disease. Bats and rodents, and many other animals including us can be carriers of a disease without it making them sick. People are currently trying to find out if bats are particularly good at developing resistance to diseases as that could help us find new medicines. Humans can also act as carries for other species.

    • Photo: Lisa Simmons

      Lisa Simmons answered on 18 Nov 2014:


      Fruit bats are natural carriers of ebola, without being affected by the disease. In some west african countries, fruit bats are considered a delicacy and therefore transmit the disease from animal to person

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