title: Bat white-nose syndrome: an emerging fungal pathogen?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711, USA. dblehert@usgs.gov
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Blehert
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.forename: Carol U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Meteyer
authors.forename: Brenda M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Berlowski-Zier
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Buckles
authors.forename: Jeremy T H
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Scott R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Darling
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gargas
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Niver
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Okoniewski
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rudd
authors.forename: Ward B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: 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