RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

Bat Flu? Human Risk Unclear

For the first time, scientists have found evidence of flu in bats, reporting a never-before-seen virus whose risk to humans is unclear.

The surprising discovery of genetic fragments of a flu virus is the first well-documented report of it in the winged mammals. So far, scientists haven't been able to grow it, and it's not clear if — or how well — it spreads.

Flu bugs are common in humans, birds and pigs and have even been seen in dogs, horses, seals and whales, among others. About five years ago, Russian virologists claimed finding flu in bats, but they never offered evidence.

"Most people are fairly convinced we had already discovered flu in all the possible" animals, said Ruben Donis, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientist who co-authored the new study.

Scientists suspect that some bats caught flu centuries ago and that the virus mutated within the bat population into this new variety. Scientists haven't even been able to grow the new virus in chicken eggs or in human cell culture, as they do with more conventional flu strains.

But it still could pose a threat to humans. For example, if it mingled with more common forms of influenza, it could swap genes and mutate into something more dangerous, a scenario at the heart of the global flu epidemic movie "Contagion."

The research was posted online Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The CDC has an international outpost in Guatemala, and that's where researchers collected more than 300 bats in 2009 and 2010. The research was mainly focused on rabies, but the scientists also checked specimens for other germs and stumbled upon the new virus. It was in the intestines of little yellow-shouldered bats, said Donis, a veterinarian by training.

These bats eat fruit and insects but don't bite people. Yet it's possible they could leave the virus on produce and a human could get infected by taking a bite.

It's conceivable some people were infected with the virus in the past. Now that scientists know what it looks like, they are looking for it in other bats as well as humans and other animals, said Donis, who heads the Molecular Virology and Vaccines Branch in the CDC's flu division.

At least one expert said CDC researchers need to do more to establish they've actually found a flu virus.

Technically, what the CDC officials found was genetic material of a flu virus. They used a lab technique to find genes for the virus and amplify it.

All they found was a segment of genetic material, said Richard "Mick" Fulton, a bird disease researcher at Michigan State University.

What they should do is draw blood from more bats, try to infect other bats and take other steps to establish that the virus is spreading among the animals, he continued. "In my mind, if you can't grow the virus, how do you know that the virus is there?"

Donis said work is going on to try to infect healthy bats, but noted there are other viruses that were discovered by genetic sequencing.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA 

Bat Colony Forces Patients From Hospital

As a precautionary measure, 14 patients were transferred to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst over the weekend so work could continue to remove a bat colony from the walls of FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital in Rockingham.

The decision to temporarily discontinue inpatient care was made last Friday following consultation with The Joint Commission (TJC), an independent organization that accredits and certifies health care organizations and programs.

It also followed a period of extensive eradication efforts by Get Bats Out, a professional bat removal service.

“Our primary concern is for the safety and well-being of our patients, families, visitors, and employees,” Gretchen Kelly, FirstHealth public relations director, said in a statement. “We are making every effort to accommodate all those affected by this event. ”

The 14 patients were transported Friday evening by FirstHealth EMS staff to a hospital of their choice. FirstHealth administration and medical staff coordinated patient transfers with area hospitals. The emergency department at Richmond Memorial remained open to walk-in patients, but those being transported by ambulances were taken directly to another area hospital.

While Richmond Memorial continued to provide diagnostic services necessary to support patients in the emergency department, scheduled outpatient diagnostic procedures were postponed or rescheduled at other area hospitals.

Some of the hospital employees scheduled to work Saturday and Sunday in areas of Richmond Memorial temporarily closed were offered the opportunity to work at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst. On Friday, Richmond Memorial staff contacted the Richmond County Health Department to conduct a thorough inspection of the facility to determine if the facility posed a risk to staff and patient health.

The local health department staff teamed with hospital staff to thoroughly inspect all air handling units, intakes and returns, all rooftop areas, patient rooms, offices, common areas, laundry, food service, unused facility space, elevator shafts, stairwells, interior ceiling tiles and numerous other areas of the facility.

Health department staff consulted with the professional bat removal staff on site that also conducted an inspection of the facility. The bat removal company explained their strategic plan to alleviate any and all bats and their harborages from the facility as well as their plan for refusal of access.

After conducting the inspection, it was determined that there was no evidence of bat guano within the interior of the facility. With these findings, it was the determination of the Richmond County Health Department that there was no risk to hospital staff or patients.

“The bat situation currently does not prevent the hospital from resuming services in labor and delivery, intensive care and the outpatient departments, but as a precautionary measure while work continues in other areas of the hospital, FirstHealth will continue to suspend all services except for those patients who present in the Emergency Department,” Emily Sloan, assistant director of public relations, said in a statement.

Patients with scheduled appointments Monday and Tuesday will be offered the option to go to Moore Regional or reschedule at Richmond Memorial for a later date.

the hospital administration will reassess the situation this afternoon in consultation with the bat removal company. Following that assessment, the hospital will provide another update on the situation to patients and staff.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA