Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats

Introduction: The intense urbanization process has resulted in the reduction of forested areas, which poses an additional risk to public health. The aim of this study was to identify environmental variables in an urban community associated with the chances of injuries (bites/scratches) in humans ca...

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Main Authors: Norlan Jesus Santos, Ianei Carneiro, Aroldo Borges, Elen Paz, Ricardo Lustosa, Carlos Franke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2019-11-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11904
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author Norlan Jesus Santos
Ianei Carneiro
Aroldo Borges
Elen Paz
Ricardo Lustosa
Carlos Franke
author_facet Norlan Jesus Santos
Ianei Carneiro
Aroldo Borges
Elen Paz
Ricardo Lustosa
Carlos Franke
author_sort Norlan Jesus Santos
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The intense urbanization process has resulted in the reduction of forested areas, which poses an additional risk to public health. The aim of this study was to identify environmental variables in an urban community associated with the chances of injuries (bites/scratches) in humans caused by bats. Methodology: The study community was the Historic Center District of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The cases were the official records of households that reported injuries in humans caused by bats along the historical series from 2012 to 2015. Controls were selected from households near the cases without records of injuries involving bats. Univariate analysis was performed for the data using the chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Significant variables (p < 0.05) were included in the logistic regression models. Results: The variable for bats having access to households via defective/broken windows showed an association with the cases in the final model (OR = 45.14, CI = 6.08-335.10). The variables presence of domiciled dogs (OR = 6.04, CI = 1.44-25.92) and exposed fruit (OR = 4.41, CI 95% = 1.15-16.9) were significant factors. Conclusion: The results shows that access to the residence and supply of food that can be used by bats are factors that increase the chances of injuries in humans caused by these animals possibly increasing the risk of infectious diseases.
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publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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spelling doaj-art-283f4445a3e3446a8c2949b60e09d4e52025-08-20T02:27:18ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802019-11-01131110.3855/jidc.11904Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by batsNorlan Jesus Santos0Ianei Carneiro1Aroldo Borges2Elen Paz3Ricardo Lustosa4Carlos Franke5School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BrazilSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BrazilZoonosis Control Center from Salvador, Bahia, Salvador, BrazilSuperintendence of Heritage from the State of Bahia, Salvador, BrazilInstitute of Public Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BrazilSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil Introduction: The intense urbanization process has resulted in the reduction of forested areas, which poses an additional risk to public health. The aim of this study was to identify environmental variables in an urban community associated with the chances of injuries (bites/scratches) in humans caused by bats. Methodology: The study community was the Historic Center District of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The cases were the official records of households that reported injuries in humans caused by bats along the historical series from 2012 to 2015. Controls were selected from households near the cases without records of injuries involving bats. Univariate analysis was performed for the data using the chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Significant variables (p < 0.05) were included in the logistic regression models. Results: The variable for bats having access to households via defective/broken windows showed an association with the cases in the final model (OR = 45.14, CI = 6.08-335.10). The variables presence of domiciled dogs (OR = 6.04, CI = 1.44-25.92) and exposed fruit (OR = 4.41, CI 95% = 1.15-16.9) were significant factors. Conclusion: The results shows that access to the residence and supply of food that can be used by bats are factors that increase the chances of injuries in humans caused by these animals possibly increasing the risk of infectious diseases. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11904Synanthropic batseco-epidemiologyinfectious diseases prevention
spellingShingle Norlan Jesus Santos
Ianei Carneiro
Aroldo Borges
Elen Paz
Ricardo Lustosa
Carlos Franke
Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Synanthropic bats
eco-epidemiology
infectious diseases prevention
title Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
title_full Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
title_fullStr Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
title_full_unstemmed Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
title_short Ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community: environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
title_sort ecoepidemiological approach in an urban community environmental factors associated with injuries in humans caused by bats
topic Synanthropic bats
eco-epidemiology
infectious diseases prevention
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11904
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