Unlike humans, bats keep their immune systems switched on 24/7 and scientists believe this could hold the key to protecting people from deadly diseases like Ebola.
Bats are a natural host for more than 100 viruses, some of which are lethal to people, including Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola and Hendra virus. However, bats do not get sick or show signs of disease from these viruses.
A study led by the CSIRO has examined the genes and immune system of the Australian black flying fox, with surprising results.
According to Dr Michelle Baker, a leading bat immunologist at CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory, our bodies respond to a foreign organism through a complicated set of immune mechanisms, including so called innate immunity.
"We focused on the innate immunity of bats, in particular the role of interferons - which are integral for innate immune responses in mammals - to understand what's special about how bats respond to invading viruses.
While bats have a unique ability to control viral infections that are lethal in people, they were found to have only three interferons. This is only a quarter of the number of interferons found in people.
The researchers also found that in contrast to people, bats have a heightened innate immune response even when they are not infected with any detectable virus.
People and mice activate their immune systems only in response to infection, as it otherwise could become toxic to tissues and cells.
But the research shows that in bats one type of interferon, interferon-alpha, is constantly 'switched on' acting as a 24/7 front line defence against diseases.
According to Dr Baker, the bat immune system operates in harmony.
And she believes that if the immune responses in other species could be redirected to behave in a similar manner to that of bats, then the high death rate associated with diseases, such as Ebola, could be a thing of the past.
The international research effort included expertise from CSIRO, Duke-NUS Medical School and the Burnet Institute.
Story is based on a media release provided by the CSIRO