Emerging risks at the vampire bat–prion interface: implications for wildlife, livestock, and public health

Abstract

The role of the Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus) as a vector for chronic wasting disease (CWD) remains uninvestigated, and the effects of prion exposure in vampire bats are unknown. Desmodus feeds on the blood of various animals including deer, livestock, and humans across its expansive distribution. Given the continued southward spread of CWD in North American cervid populations and potential for the disease to already be circulating in Mexico, where it may overlap with established Desmodus populations, it is critical to assess potential risks at the interface between vampire bats and prion-infected hosts. Desmodus is also predicted to expand its range northward, potentially establishing populations in CWD-endemic regions of the southern United States, further underscoring the need for proactive surveillance and research on the ecological and epidemiological implications of this emerging interface. We explore aspects of prion biology and the natural history of Desmodus, highlighting factors that may contribute to prion exposure events among vampire bats and sympatric mammals. In light of Desmodus feeding behaviors, vampire bats could experience elevated prion exposures over time if they encounter CWD-positive prey. We recommend risk assessments and surveillance to evaluate vampire bat–prion transmission pathways that could impact mammalian wildlife, livestock, and human health.