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Chiroptera is one of the largest in numbers orders of mammals which can take on the role of natural host and vector of various viruses, bacteria, and pathogenic fungi. Over the period of 2007–2013, 248 new viruses pertaining to 24 families were detected in chiropterans. Lately, a range of novel infections that provoked severe diseases in humans were associated with bats-carriers. Presently they are viewed as a potential reservoir of Ebola, Marburg, and Hendra viruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome agents, as well as many other lethal diseases. Chiropterans started drawing particular attention after establishment of the fact that they are involved in circulation of ebolavirus Zaire and possibly participate in the formation of natural foci of this infection. Currently chiropterans are considered to be natural reservoirs of ebolavirus Zaire and some other filoviruses (Filoviridae). Accept from filoviruses, other significant for public healthcare viruses were isolated from chiropterans on the African continent – lyssaviruses (Rhabdoviridae, Lyssavirus), henipaviruses (Paramixoviridae, Henipavirus), and coronaviruses (Coronaviridae, Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus) that can also circulate among chiropterans in West Africa. The data available from literature sources on dissemination of chiropterans in the territory of the African continent, their species diversity, peculiarities of ecology and behavior are analyzed in this paper. The information on the infections for which chiropterans can serve as potential reservoirs is also provided. Specifics of interaction between the population residing on African continent and bats of different species are described too. The review is devoted to the assessment of results of studies on population, ecological, and epidemiological factors contributing to maintenance of circulation of a number of dangerous for humans viruses (filoviruses, lyssaviruses, henipaviruses, and coronaviruses) among African chiropterans. The need for further investigation of the mentioned factors affecting chiropteran populations in the Republic of Guinea is substantiated.

Filoviruses are known as causative agents of severe haemorrhagic fevers with a high mortality rate in humans. Zaire ebolavirus and Marburgvirus, the most known of them, are associated with the occurrence of sporadic cases and outbreaks of hemorrhagic fevers in some parts of Africa. Isolation of Reston ebolavirus in 1989 in the United States from samples of dead cynomolgus monkeys imported from the Philippines was the first evidence on the existence of filoviruses outside the Africa. Due to the development of new diagnostic methods, Reston ebolavirus or its markers (RNA, antibodies) were found in different animals in the Philippines, China and some other countries of Southeast Asia. These events significantly changed the concept of the geography of filoviruses at present time. Novel filoviruses have been identified in bats in China using of molecular genetic methods. Detection of filovirus RNA (the Lloviu virus) in samples from dead common bent-winged bats in Spain (2002) and in Hungary (2016) indicates the possibility of circulation of filoviruses with unknown pathogenicity potential for humans and animals among bats of temperate latitudes. This review summarizes data on findings of filovirus markers in animals in Southeast Asia, China and Europe.

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