TOMSK, Aug 9 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists of Biological Institute of Tomsk State University (BI TSU) investigate the bats found in the city for the presence of rabies virus to reveal their role in spread of the disease; also biologists plan to study ability of these animals to accumulate radiation, the press service of the university reported on Wednesday.
With reference to the research associate of the laboratory of monitoring of biodiversity BI TSU Alexander Zhigalin it is noted that it was considered before that only vampire bats widespread in Central and South America participate in spread of rabies. At the end of the XXth century it was established, that insectivorous bats could infect human; such cases were recorded in Irkutsk.
"Zoologists of TSU decided to study a role of bats in epidemiology of some dangerous diseases and some other factors connected with feature of their existence … Zoologists of TSU are interested in what types participate in spread of viruses of rabies, their role in maintenance of the centers of this disease and its distribution", – it is said in the statement.
Besides, it is added that bats have ability to accumulate radiation, eating insects which "received radioactive elements from the polluted technical reservoir where they appeared". At the end of absorption chain of "radioactive midges", waste products of bats radiate radiation too. As Zhigalin reported to RIA Tomsk, this ability is also planned to be studied.It is possible to find bats not only in caves and woods, but also in the downtown. So, according to Zhigalin, five years ago about one hundred bats were found in one of multihome concerts of Tomsk behind a covering of a balcony on crossing Uchebnaya and Lenina streets. Thus, residents of Tomsk can be exposed to harmful radiation, not suspect about "bomb".
Now scientific laboratories of monitoring of biodiversity collect material for carrying out researches. Scientists will help residents to get rid of the neighbourhood with bats. For this purpose it is necessary to call Alexandr Zhigalin number +7-983-239-17-44, the employee of TSU will arrive and catch winged "neighbors".