The Potential Risk of Viral Transmission Among Flying Foxes, Domestic Animals, and Humans in Southern Coast of West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Flying foxes have been considered to be involved in the transmission of serious infectious diseases to humans.This study aimed to know the direct and/or indirect contacts of flying foxes that live in the Indonesian natural conservation area, with domestic animals and humans living in the surrounding area, by the questionnaire. A survey of 150 respondents in 10 villages have been made.The area was grouped into; 1. inside the conservation area and within 1 km from the outer border of the conservation area, 2. 1-5 km and 3. 5-10 km away from the border.The respondents are consisted of community leaders, religious leaders, youth leaders, children health centres officers, and farmers/fisherman group leaders, in each village. Data were collected by direct interview using a structured questionnaire consisted of the characteristics (the age, sex, and/or job) of respondents, the histories of contacts between flying foxes and humans, dogs, and domestic animals,and the knowledge about infectious diseases, mainly rabies, in flying foxes. This study found that the flying foxes from conservation area often enter theresidential areas at night to look for foods, especially during the fruit season. In the residential area, flying foxes directly contact with humans and a few contacts with domestic animals, only dogs. The persons, who touched flying foxes, seldom use personal protective equipment such as leather gloves, goggles and hats. The Residents living around conservation area mostly have poor knowledge about flying foxes and disease transmission.This situation shows that the population in this region is quite high risk for contracting infectious diseases from flying foxes.