{"id":2150,"date":"2020-10-29T22:47:01","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T22:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biotechsa.com\/2\/?p=2150"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:58:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T18:58:45","slug":"for-vampire-bats-social-distancing-while-sick-comes-naturally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biotechsa.com\/2\/noticias\/for-vampire-bats-social-distancing-while-sick-comes-naturally\/","title":{"rendered":"For vampire bats, social distancing while sick comes naturally"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ScienceDaily recently featured a study conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University on the behavior of sick bats in the wild. Their research showed that \u201cwhen vampire bats feel sick, they socially distance themselves from groupmates in their roost \u2013 no public health guidance required.\u201d<\/p>\n

Researchers analyzed the behavior of 31 female wild vampire bats after they were injected with either a saline placebo or a substance that activated their immune systems to make them feel sick for several hours. Custom \u201cbackpack computers\u201d were glued to the animals\u2019 backs to record and transmit data from their social encounters in the roost for three days after injection. The researchers focused on three measures, including how many bats were encountered, the total time spent with other bats, and how connected each bat was to their social network.<\/p>\n

Transmitted data showed that healthy bats stayed away from sick bats and that \u201csick bats interacted with fewer bats, spent less time near others and were overall less interactive with individuals that were well-connected with others in the roost.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Simon Ripperger, a co-lead author of the study and postdoctoral researcher in evolution, ecology and organismal biology at The Ohio State University, compared the bats\u2019 behavior to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ripperger explained that \u201cin the wild, vampire bats \u2013 which are highly social animals \u2013 keep their distance when they\u2019re sick or living with sick groupmates. And it can be expected that they reduce the spread of disease as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n

The data gathered for social encounters with links between exposure time and pathogen transfer will help researchers predict how sickness-related behaviors influence pathogen transmission within a social network.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Click here to view the full article.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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