Determining the behavioral and ecological factors influencing geographic variation for Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh

A Islam; D S Choudhury; E Amin; S Munro; A. K. M. Khan; N N Chowdhury; Monjurul Islam; A Khan; Al Mamun; Morgan Kain; S Sultana; M Kaczmarek; J K Forwood; T Shirin; J H Epstein

Abstract

Background: Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne virus that has caused repeated outbreaks in Bangladesh and India with over 70% mortality. NiV outbreaks are spatially clustered in Bangladesh, predominantly linked to the consumption of bat-contaminated raw date palm sap (RDPS) in the Western region (Nipah Belt). Nevertheless, NiV has been detected in bats across the country. Hence, this study aimed to determine how behavioral and ecological drivers contribute to spatial differences in NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh.

Methods: Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a behavioral and ecological survey among 2400 participants across six district communities in Bangladesh to determine how palm sap consumption, geography, and other behaviours influence exposure.

Results: The study revealed a significantly (p<0.001) higher proportion of households in the Nipah belt that consume raw date palm sap (RDPS) (55.5% vs 16.8%), harvest RDPS (13.4% vs 1.6%), own date palm trees (28.6% vs 7.2%), grazing domestic animals under bat roosts (43.5% vs 15.3%), and eating bat bitten fruits (43.2% vs 29%) compared to households outside of the Nipah Belt. Using a generalized linear mixed effects model (GLM), we found that gender, education, income, harvesting sap, and owning a date palm tree significantly influenced the consumption of RDPS and were associated with NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh.

Conclusion: The higher consumption of RDPS contaminated with bat excreta in western regions could conceivably drive a spatial discrepancy in NiV outbreaks. We recommend One Health surveillance and behavioural interventions to prevent bat-borne viral spillover from bats to humans and domestic animals in Bangladesh.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 04 Apr 2025
Event	ASID Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 - Hyatt Hotel Canberra, Canberra, Australia Duration: 03 Apr 2025 → 05 Apr 2025 https://www.asidasm.com/ https://asid.net.au/asm2025 https://www.asidasm.com/2025-program (Program)

Conference

Conference	ASID Annual Scientific Meeting 2025
Abbreviated title	The changing face of infectious disease
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Canberra
Period	03/04/25 → 05/04/25
Other	The ASID Annual Scientific Meeting was a resounding success! The theme of the 'changing face of infectious disease’ explored what disease will look like into the future - including discussions on new technology in the diagnosis and management of infectious disease, public health and the newly formed Australian CDC, and regional infectious disease in Australia and the Pacific. This year's meeting saw 202 abstract submissions with 133 posters, 18 proffered paper presentations, and a new addition of 20 poster walks. With a program of 79 speakers over 17 sessions, we welcomed over 450 delegates from across the world.
Internet address	https://www.asidasm.com/ https://asid.net.au/asm2025 https://www.asidasm.com/2025-program (Program)

Cite this

Islam, A., Choudhury, D. S., Amin, E., Munro, S., Khan, A. K. M., Chowdhury, N. N., Islam, M., Khan, A., Mamun, A., Kain, M., Sultana, S., Kaczmarek, M., Forwood, J. K., Shirin, T., & Epstein, J. H. (2025). Determining the behavioral and ecological factors influencing geographic variation for Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh. Abstract from ASID Annual Scientific Meeting 2025, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.

@conference{fe24d1dbf93340f8a4cd24edbdb2f53c,

title = "Determining the behavioral and ecological factors influencing geographic variation for Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh",

abstract = "Background: Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne virus that has caused repeated outbreaks in Bangladesh and India with over 70\% mortality. NiV outbreaks are spatially clustered in Bangladesh, predominantly linked to the consumption of bat-contaminated raw date palm sap (RDPS) in the Western region (Nipah Belt). Nevertheless, NiV has been detected in bats across the country. Hence, this study aimed to determine how behavioral and ecological drivers contribute to spatial differences in NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh. Methods: Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a behavioral and ecological survey among 2400 participants across six district communities in Bangladesh to determine how palm sap consumption, geography, and other behaviours influence exposure. Results: The study revealed a significantly (p<0.001) higher proportion of households in the Nipah belt that consume raw date palm sap (RDPS) (55.5\% vs 16.8\%), harvest RDPS (13.4\% vs 1.6\%), own date palm trees (28.6\% vs 7.2\%), grazing domestic animals under bat roosts (43.5\% vs 15.3\%), and eating bat bitten fruits (43.2\% vs 29\%) compared to households outside of the Nipah Belt. Using a generalized linear mixed effects model (GLM), we found that gender, education, income, harvesting sap, and owning a date palm tree significantly influenced the consumption of RDPS and were associated with NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh. Conclusion: The higher consumption of RDPS contaminated with bat excreta in western regions could conceivably drive a spatial discrepancy in NiV outbreaks. We recommend One Health surveillance and behavioural interventions to prevent bat-borne viral spillover from bats to humans and domestic animals in Bangladesh. ",

author = "A Islam and Choudhury, \{D S\} and E Amin and S Munro and Khan, \{A. K. M.\} and Chowdhury, \{N N\} and Monjurul Islam and A Khan and Al Mamun and Morgan Kain and S Sultana and M Kaczmarek and Forwood, \{J K\} and T Shirin and Epstein, \{J H\}",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

day = "4",

language = "English",

note = "ASID Annual Scientific Meeting 2025, The changing face of infectious disease ; Conference date: 03-04-2025 Through 05-04-2025",

url = "https://www.asidasm.com/, https://asid.net.au/asm2025, https://www.asidasm.com/2025-program",

}

Islam, A, Choudhury, DS, Amin, E, Munro, S, Khan, AKM, Chowdhury, NN, Islam, M, Khan, A, Mamun, A, Kain, M, Sultana, S, Kaczmarek, M, Forwood, JK, Shirin, T & Epstein, JH 2025, 'Determining the behavioral and ecological factors influencing geographic variation for Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh', ASID Annual Scientific Meeting 2025, Canberra, Australia, 03/04/25 - 05/04/25.

TY - CONF

T1 - Determining the behavioral and ecological factors influencing geographic variation for Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh

AU - Islam, A

AU - Choudhury, D S

AU - Amin, E

AU - Munro, S

AU - Khan, A. K. M.

AU - Chowdhury, N N

AU - Islam, Monjurul

AU - Khan, A

AU - Mamun, Al

AU - Kain, Morgan

AU - Sultana, S

AU - Kaczmarek, M

AU - Forwood, J K

AU - Shirin, T

AU - Epstein, J H

PY - 2025/4/4

Y1 - 2025/4/4

N2 - Background: Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne virus that has caused repeated outbreaks in Bangladesh and India with over 70% mortality. NiV outbreaks are spatially clustered in Bangladesh, predominantly linked to the consumption of bat-contaminated raw date palm sap (RDPS) in the Western region (Nipah Belt). Nevertheless, NiV has been detected in bats across the country. Hence, this study aimed to determine how behavioral and ecological drivers contribute to spatial differences in NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh. Methods: Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a behavioral and ecological survey among 2400 participants across six district communities in Bangladesh to determine how palm sap consumption, geography, and other behaviours influence exposure. Results: The study revealed a significantly (p<0.001) higher proportion of households in the Nipah belt that consume raw date palm sap (RDPS) (55.5% vs 16.8%), harvest RDPS (13.4% vs 1.6%), own date palm trees (28.6% vs 7.2%), grazing domestic animals under bat roosts (43.5% vs 15.3%), and eating bat bitten fruits (43.2% vs 29%) compared to households outside of the Nipah Belt. Using a generalized linear mixed effects model (GLM), we found that gender, education, income, harvesting sap, and owning a date palm tree significantly influenced the consumption of RDPS and were associated with NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh. Conclusion: The higher consumption of RDPS contaminated with bat excreta in western regions could conceivably drive a spatial discrepancy in NiV outbreaks. We recommend One Health surveillance and behavioural interventions to prevent bat-borne viral spillover from bats to humans and domestic animals in Bangladesh.

AB - Background: Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne virus that has caused repeated outbreaks in Bangladesh and India with over 70% mortality. NiV outbreaks are spatially clustered in Bangladesh, predominantly linked to the consumption of bat-contaminated raw date palm sap (RDPS) in the Western region (Nipah Belt). Nevertheless, NiV has been detected in bats across the country. Hence, this study aimed to determine how behavioral and ecological drivers contribute to spatial differences in NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh. Methods: Between 2022 and 2023, we conducted a behavioral and ecological survey among 2400 participants across six district communities in Bangladesh to determine how palm sap consumption, geography, and other behaviours influence exposure. Results: The study revealed a significantly (p<0.001) higher proportion of households in the Nipah belt that consume raw date palm sap (RDPS) (55.5% vs 16.8%), harvest RDPS (13.4% vs 1.6%), own date palm trees (28.6% vs 7.2%), grazing domestic animals under bat roosts (43.5% vs 15.3%), and eating bat bitten fruits (43.2% vs 29%) compared to households outside of the Nipah Belt. Using a generalized linear mixed effects model (GLM), we found that gender, education, income, harvesting sap, and owning a date palm tree significantly influenced the consumption of RDPS and were associated with NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh. Conclusion: The higher consumption of RDPS contaminated with bat excreta in western regions could conceivably drive a spatial discrepancy in NiV outbreaks. We recommend One Health surveillance and behavioural interventions to prevent bat-borne viral spillover from bats to humans and domestic animals in Bangladesh.

UR - https://www.asidasm.com/2025-program

M3 - Abstract

T2 - ASID Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

Y2 - 3 April 2025 through 5 April 2025

ER -

Determining the behavioral and ecological factors influencing geographic variation for Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh

Abstract

Conference

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this