Chimps consuming bat feces may transmit lethal viruses to humans
In the heart of the Budongo Forest Reserve in Uganda, a shocking discovery was made - a behavior so bizarre that it left researchers astounded. Picture this: chimpanzees, known for their intelligence and social behaviors, were observed scooping up dry bat feces and consuming it. A sight never witnessed before in over 60 years of research in the region. The implications were ominous - exposure to potential bat-borne viruses.
Fast forward to today, and the revelations are chilling. A team of researchers, led by veterinary epidemiologist Tony Goldberg from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, has unveiled a groundbreaking study published in Communications Biology. The bat guano that the chimpanzees feasted on contained a myriad of previously unknown viruses, including a novel coronavirus closely related to the one responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
This discovery opens a new realm of understanding regarding the transmission of viruses from bats to other mammals, potentially incl...
