Program Sponsored by: Ecohealth Alliance

Network Outputs

Peer-reviewed publications

Thompson, Cody W; Phelps, Kendra L; Allard, Marc W; Cook, Joseph A; Dunnum, Jonathan L; Ferguson, Adam W; Gelang, Magnus; Khan, Faisal AA; Paul, Deborah L; Reeder, DeeAnn M; Simmons, Nancy B; Vanhove, Maarten PM; Webala, Paul W; Weksler, Marcelo;, Kilpatrick, William C. 2021. Preserve a voucher specimen! The critical need for integrating natural history collections in infectious disease studies. mBio 12:e02698-20.

Kading, Rebekah C; Kingston, Tigga. 2020. “Common ground: The foundation of interdisciplinary research on bat disease emergence.” PLoS Biology 18(11): e3000947.

Olival, Kevin J; Cryan, Paul M.; Amman, Brian R; Baric, Ralph S; Blehert, David S; Brook, Cara E.; Calisher, Charles H; Castle, Kevin T; Coleman, Jeremy TH; Daszak, Peter; Epstein, Jonathan H; Field, Hume; Frick, Winifred F; Gilbert, Amy T; Hayman, David TS; Ip, Hon S; Karesh, William B; Johnson, Christine K; Kading, Rebekah C; Kingston, Tigga; Lorch, Jeffrey M; Mendenhall, Ian H; Peel, Alison J; Phelps, Kendra L; Plowright, Raina K; Reeder, DeeAnn M; Reichard, Jonathan D; Sleeman, Jonathan M; Streicker, Daniel G; Towner, Jonathan S; Wang, Lin-Fa. 2020. “Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study in bats.” PLoS Pathogens 16(9): e1008758.

Phelps, Kendra L.; Hamel, Luke; Alhmoud, Nisreen; Ali, Shahzad; Bilgin, Rasit; Sidamonidze, Ketevan; Urushadze, Lela; Karesh, William; Olival, Kevin J. 2019. “Bat Research Networks and Viral Surveillance: Gaps and Opportunities in Western Asia.Viruses 11 (3): 240.

Educational materials

Bats of Areni 1 Cave – educational poster developed by WAB-Net partners in Armenia
(link to high-resolution PDF version)

Conference Presentations

New Research Directions of Bats in Azerbaijan – Studying of Bat-Borne Diseases

Nijat Hasanov & Gülnar Guliyeva
Institute of Zoology, Natl. Acad. Sci. Azerbaijan

Bats – the only flying mammals, accounting for 25% (33 species) of the Azerbaijani mammalian fauna. Those have also been focused by the scientific community, zoologists, veterinarians, and virologists for the recent 20 years because of their assumed or confirmed role in the spillover of a number of new infectious diseases. Unfortunately, such studies are not carried out in Azerbaijan and the situation with the study of other bats diseases is not satisfactory. Thus, the national studies on bats on eco-, endo- and blood-parasites require at least an update, dating back to the 70-80s of the last century. This paper provides an overview of the potential or confirmed reservoir role of bats in a number of pathogens, the importance of research in this area and, in particular, the first research attempts in coronary studies conducted in Azerbaijan.

Link to full abstract in Azerbaijani

K. Phelps, L. Hamel, N. Alhmoud, S. Ali, R. Bilgin, K. Sidamonidze, L. Urushadze, W. Karesh, and K. Olival. (2019) Bat Research Networks and Viral Surveillance: Gaps and Opportunities in Western Asia. A paper presented at the 18th International Bat Research Conference in Phuket, Thailand. Link to slides

L. Hamel, A. Tseng, K. Phelps, N. Alhmoud, S. Ali, R. Bilgin, K. Sidamonidze, L. Urushadze, W. Karesh, and K. Olival. (2019) Western Asia Bat Research Network (WAB-Net): Promoting Bat Conservation, Disease Surveillance, and Capacity Building. A poster presented at the 18th International Bat Research Conference in Phuket, Thailand.

Olival, K.J., K. Phelps, N. Alhmoud, K. Sidamonidze, L. Urushadze, S. Ali, R. Bilgin, L. Hamel, and W. Karesh. Bats and Viruses in Western Asia: A Model for One Health Surveillance using Research Networks. A poster presented at the 48th North American Symposium on Bat Research in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. October 24-27, 2018. Link to poster

Olival, K.J., K. Phelps, N. Alhmoud, K. Sidamonidze, L. Urushadze, S. Ali, R. Bilgin, L. Hamel, and W. Karesh. Bats and Viruses in Western Asia: A Model for One Health Surveillance using Research Networks. A poster presented at 4th Southeast Asian Bat Research Conference in Bacolod, Philippines. August 6 – 9, 2018. Link to poster