Source: University of Minnesota
Researchers are investigating whether vampire bats in Mexico could help spread chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal prion disease affecting deer, elk, and moose. Climate change is pushing bats northward, increasing overlap with infected animals, and experts estimate a high likelihood that bats are already feeding on CWD-positive deer. Bats could potentially transmit prions through feeding, regurgitation, or grooming, raising concerns about wider spread.
While some scientists warn this could become a serious threat, possibly even expanding to livestock or humans, others stress the risk remains theoretical due to limited evidence and low prion levels in blood. Researchers emphasize the need for ecological studies, surveillance, and experiments to assess the danger. Proactive monitoring is critical to understanding and mitigating potential risks to wildlife, agriculture, and public health before the situation escalates.