Bats (Chiroptera) as Vectors of Diseases and Parasites: Facts and Myths: A Book Review

Bats are numerous, diverse, and widespread throughout the world. They are always misunderstood and often associated with horror stories. Recently, the importance of bats as natural carriers of coronaviruses was highlighted. The book “Bats (Chiroptera) as Vectors of Diseases and Parasites: Facts and Myths” is an edited collection, consisting of 10 chapters, with contributions by 16 authors on bats and their importance, especially as transmitters of pathogens and diseases. The first chapter is titled: “The World of Bats”. It is a general introduction to the whole book; it highlights the general characteristics and uniqueness of bats among other mammals. The author makes an analogy between the nocturnal activity of these creatures and the several myths about them. The second chapter is titled: “The Astonishing Morphology of Bats”. It outlines not only the systematic position of bats among other mammals, but also their morphology, food, feeding behaviours, social behaviour, reproduction, distribution, geographic range, parasites, role as victims and vectors of diseases, myths and misunderstandings concerning bats.