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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter August 24, 2020

Virus, bats and drugs

  • Gorka Orive and Unax Lertxundi ORCID logo EMAIL logo

Abstract

Apart from SARS-Co-V-2 coronavirus, bats also host many highly virulent zoonotic pathogens. A matter of rising concern is the detrimental impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment, as they can have major impact at low concentrations. Insectivorous bats are among the wildlife animals likely to be exposed due to the bioaccumulation through the food web. Bat’s behaviour might be deeply affected by human psychoactive drugs. Current massive antiviral use activity will increase environmental concentrations of these pharmaceuticals, for whose potential eco-toxicological consequences are scarce. We need to study the complex interrelation between people, bats, drugs, viruses, and their shared environment.


Corresponding author: Unax Lertxundi, Bioaraba Health Research Institute, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, Araba Mental Health Network, Araba Psychiatric Hospital, Pharmacy Service, c/Alava 43, 01006Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, Spain; and Basque Sustainable Pharmacy Association, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Phone: +34 945 00 65 33, Fax: +34 945 00 65 87, E-mail:

  1. Research funding: None declared.

  2. Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  3. Competing interest: Authors state no conflict of interest.

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Received: 2019-06-28
Accepted: 2020-06-30
Published Online: 2020-08-24
Published in Print: 2020-11-18

© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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