Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen der Fledermaustollwut in Deutschland Tollwut Fledermäuse Zoonose Rhabdoviren Überwachung Infektionserreger Epidemiologie Lyssaviren Rabies Bats Surveillance The knowledge about the diversity abundance and occurrence number of reservoir hosts pathogenesis and transmission of bat associated lyssaviruses is still incomplete. In Europe bat rabies surveillance is based on testing of moribund or dead bats (passive surveillance) and by sampling of free living indigenous bat populations (active surveillance). The objective of this study was to obtain further information and data about the occurrence and epidemiology of bat associated lyssaviruses in Germany and to compare them with data from other European countries. This study was based on three individual projects. 1) An initial analyses of officially reported or published bat rabies surveillance data indicated that despite international recommendations the level of bat rabies surveillance in Europe is very heterogeneous. This is likely a result of (i) missing collaboration between bat biologists and veterinary as well as public health authorities (ii) lack of functioning networks of bat biologists (iii) country specific regulations as regards the protection of bats and (iv) a lack of disease awareness among the general public. 2) In Germany additionally to routine bat rabies surveillance an enhanced passive surveillance study (retrospective study 1998 2013) was initiated in collaboration with different institutions authorities and bat biologists. Of 5478 bats comprising 21 species screened for lyssavirus infections 55 bats were positive. European bat lyssavirus 2 (EBLV 2) ...