Bats carry dangerous viruses without getting sick. This may be why
Science Daily · 2026-09-03
Researchers at Tulane University, in collaboration with Stanford University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have discovered a unique immune advantage in bats that could explain their ability to carry dangerous viruses without succumbing to illness. A study published in *Science Advances* found that vesper bats, the world's largest bat family, possess two distinct sets of genes for producing antibodies, unlike all other known mammals which have only one. This finding, dated September 3, 2026, was made in vesper bats, a group comprising over 500 species across all continents except Antarctica.
The lead author, Hannah Frank, an associate professor at Tulane University, emphasized that this discovery fundamentally changes the understanding of mammalian immune systems and highlights the importance of further studying the adaptive immune system in bats. Understanding how bats coexist with viruses could ultimately lead to improved strategies for reducing disease spillover and offer new insights into immune responses in other species.