Ebola Virus & Fruit Bats: Understanding the Role of Bats in Transmission

There is no evidence to suggest that fruit bats "get" Ebola in the same way that humans do. Fruit bats are natural hosts of the Ebola virus, which means that they can carry the virus without showing any symptoms of illness. This allows them to spread the virus to other animals, including humans, through contact with their bodily fluids. In most cases, Ebola outbreaks in humans are caused by contact with infected animals such as monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, or duikers, which become infected from fruit bats.