Jesse S. Ayivor,1 Fidelia Ohemeng,2 Elaine Tweneboah Lawson,1 Linda Waldman,3
Melissa Leach,3 and Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu4,5
1Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana,
P.O. Box LG 209, Legon, Accra, Ghana
2Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, College of Humanities, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 72, Legon, Accra, Ghana
3Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK
4Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana,
Legon, Accra, Ghana
5Centre for African Wetlands, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 67, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Correspondence should be addressed to Jesse S. Ayivor; jsayivor@staff.ug.edu.gh
Received 21 February 2017; Accepted 25 July 2017; Published 10 September 2017
Academic Editor: Tongzhang Zheng
Copyright © 2017 Jesse S. Ayivor et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Transmission of zoonotic pathogens from bats to humans through direct and indirect contact with bats raises public apprehension about living close to bats. In the township of Ve Golokuati in Ghana, several “camps” of Epomophorus gambianus roost in fruit trees that provide ecosystems services for residents. Tis study explored human-bat interaction in the township and the potential risks of disease transmission from bats to humans. Data were derived through questionnaire administration and participatory appraisal approach involving focus group discussions, participatory landscape mapping, and transect walk. Te study found that most human activities within the township, such as petty-trading, domestic chores, and children’s outdoor recreation, exposed people to bats. Though there have been no reported cases of disease spillover from bats to humans from the perspective of residents and from
medical records, respondents whose activities brought them closer to bats within the township were found to be more likely to experience fevers than those who do not interact with bats frequently. Te study recommends education of community members about the potential risks involved in human-bat interactions and makes suggestions for reducing the frequent interactions with and exposure to bats by humans.
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