Fruit bats eaten by people in Central Africa could be carriers of the deadly Ebola virus, researchers say. Led by French scientist Eric Leroy, the researchers found traces of the Ebola virus in three types of fruit bats from Gabon and the Congo. However, the bats did not have symptoms, suggesting they serve as a "reservoir" for the disease. The findings, published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature and carried by Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) , also show that fruit bats may play a role in passing the virus to primates and people. Scientists previously believed that humans could only contract the disease through direct contact with monkeys. But Leroy said eating infected bats could be a way of catching the virus. World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Maria Cheng told The New York Times that more evidence will be needed "to conclude that they are the natural reservoir of the disease". The scientists based their findings on tests of 679 bats from areas where infected gorilla and chimpanzee carcasses were found in outbreaks from 2001 to 2003, The Times reported Thursday. WHO reports that the virus has killed more than 1,200 people in Central Africa since it was discovered in 1976. Approximately 1,850 cases have been documented. No specific treatment or vaccine has been developed for treating the haemorrhagic disease. --SP 2353 Local Time 2053 GMT
