Bat white-nose syndrome: an emerging fungal pathogen?
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a condition associated with an unprecedented bat mortality event in the northeastern United States. Since the winter of 2006*2007, bat declines exceeding 75% have been observed at surveyed hibernacula. Affected bats often present with visually striking white fungal growth on their muzzles, ears, and/or wing membranes. Direct microscopy and culture analyses demonstrated that the skin of WNS-affected bats is colonized by a psychrophilic fungus that is phylogenetically related to Geomyces spp. but with a conidial morphology distinct from characterized members of this genus. This report characterizes the cutaneous fungal infection associated with WNS.
Blehert
David S
DS
National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711, USA. dblehert@usgs.gov
Hicks
Alan C
AC
Behr
Melissa
M
Meteyer
Carol U
CU
Berlowski-Zier
Brenda M
BM
Buckles
Elizabeth L
EL
Coleman
Jeremy T H
JT
Darling
Scott R
SR
Gargas
Andrea
A
Niver
Robyn
R
Okoniewski
Joseph C
JC
Rudd
Robert J
RJ
Stone
Ward B
WB
D000818:Animals; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D003080:Cold Temperature; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006605:Hibernation; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D020036:Onygenales / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010802:Phylogeny; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000166:cytology