What significant disease do bats pose a threat to humans by carrying?

Bats are known to be significant carriers of the rabies virus, which poses a substantial threat to human health. Rabies is a viral infection that affects the central nervous system and can be fatal if left untreated after exposure through bites or scratches from infected animals. The transmission of rabies from bats to humans occurs primarily through scratches or bites, where the virus is present in saliva.

The role of bats as reservoirs for rabies is critical because of their wide distribution and roosting behaviors. They can carry the virus asymptomatically until the onset of the disease, meaning that an infected bat may look healthy while still posing a risk to humans and other animals.

In contrast, encephalitis (a general term for inflammation of the brain) can be caused by several viruses, some of which may also be carried by bats; however, rabies is much more directly associated with them. Psittacosis, an infection typically associated with birds, and pediculosis, a condition caused by lice, are not diseases that bats are known to transmit to humans. Thus, the primary concern regarding disease transmission from bats to humans is rabies, solidifying it as the significant threat in this context.