White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a devastating disease that threatens the survival of hibernating bats in North America. Since first documented in the winter of 2005/2006, WNS has spread from a very small area of New York across at least two thousand kilometers in half or more of states and provinces in the U.S. and Canada. Over five million bats are estimated to have died during the past decade from WNS, and all four federally listed endangered species and subspecies of hibernating cave bats are in harm’s way.
The sudden and widespread mortality associated with WNS is completely unprecedented in hibernating bats and it is not anticipated that their populations will recover quickly, if at all.
An additional 19 species of hibernating cave bats occur in the United States and, considering available information, all are potentially susceptible. WNS is named for the ubiquitous presence of a newly identified species of cold-loving fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) that is capable of penetrating and infecting the skin and wing membranes of bats during hibernation. It is critical that research efforts directed toward WNS incorporate the expertise of scientists familiar with the ecology of bats and hibernation physiology.
There are three primary objectives to this project as follows: continue to help coordinate research efforts directed toward white-nose syndrome at a national level and provide technical support on aspects of bat ecology to USGS researchers and others in the scientific and resource management community; assess the possible behavioral mechanisms by which skin infection from the causative fungus specifically acts to cause bat mortality; assess the possible physiological mechanisms by which skin infection from the causative fungus specifically acts to cause bat mortality.
There is now strong evidence that the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans is an exotic/invasive species experiencing ecological release in new ecosystems. Based on recently completed and ongoing studies at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and other laboratories, the cold-loving fungus is now considered the primary causative agent of WNS. However, the disease etiology is unusual because it likely involves the fungus causing aberrant behaviors or disruptions in the unique physiology of wintering bats, rather than typical pathological effects, such as organ failure. Collaboration between USGS disease specialists and bat ecologists is helping bridge gaps in understanding that allow us to rapidly make progress in better addressing this unprecedented disease. The novel video surveillance systems developed by USGS researchers and their partners for deployment in bat hibernation sites have functioned well over entire winters and allowed new types of data to be collected. Video data resulting from this work are beginning to reveal the previously undocumented behaviors of hibernating bats and are offering insight into hibernation behaviors that might help bats survive fungal infection. Physiological studies have documented electrolyte depletion in WNS bats and led to support of the USGS-formulated hypothesis that dehydration plays a major role in the susceptibility of bats to P. destructans. Ongoing mathematical modeling is revealing that humidity of bat hibernacula likely has a major influence on the ability of certain species to survive WNS and may possibly explain why European bats are less susceptible to fungal infection.
Below are publications associated with this project.
First direct evidence of long-distance seasonal movements and hibernation in a migratory bat
Environment, host, and fungal traits predict continental-scale white-nose syndrome in bats
Watching the dark: New surveillance cameras are changing bat research
Pathophysiology of white-nose syndrome in bats: A mechanistic model linking wing damage to mortality
Electrolyte depletion in white-nose syndrome bats
Inoculation of bats with European Geomyces destructans supports the novel pathogen hypothesis for the origin of white-nose syndrome
Ecology of zoonotic infectious diseases in bats: current knowledge and future directions
Environmental conditions associated with bat white-nose syndrome in the north-eastern United States
Wing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology
Investigating and managing the rapid emergence of white-nose syndrome, a novel, fatal, infectious disease of hibernating bats
Economic importance of bats in agriculture
White-nose syndrome in bats: a primer for resource managers
- Overview
White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a devastating disease that threatens the survival of hibernating bats in North America. Since first documented in the winter of 2005/2006, WNS has spread from a very small area of New York across at least two thousand kilometers in half or more of states and provinces in the U.S. and Canada. Over five million bats are estimated to have died during the past decade from WNS, and all four federally listed endangered species and subspecies of hibernating cave bats are in harm’s way.
The sudden and widespread mortality associated with WNS is completely unprecedented in hibernating bats and it is not anticipated that their populations will recover quickly, if at all.
A little brown bat with white-nose syndrome. USGS photo. An additional 19 species of hibernating cave bats occur in the United States and, considering available information, all are potentially susceptible. WNS is named for the ubiquitous presence of a newly identified species of cold-loving fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) that is capable of penetrating and infecting the skin and wing membranes of bats during hibernation. It is critical that research efforts directed toward WNS incorporate the expertise of scientists familiar with the ecology of bats and hibernation physiology.
There are three primary objectives to this project as follows: continue to help coordinate research efforts directed toward white-nose syndrome at a national level and provide technical support on aspects of bat ecology to USGS researchers and others in the scientific and resource management community; assess the possible behavioral mechanisms by which skin infection from the causative fungus specifically acts to cause bat mortality; assess the possible physiological mechanisms by which skin infection from the causative fungus specifically acts to cause bat mortality.
There is now strong evidence that the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans is an exotic/invasive species experiencing ecological release in new ecosystems. Based on recently completed and ongoing studies at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and other laboratories, the cold-loving fungus is now considered the primary causative agent of WNS. However, the disease etiology is unusual because it likely involves the fungus causing aberrant behaviors or disruptions in the unique physiology of wintering bats, rather than typical pathological effects, such as organ failure. Collaboration between USGS disease specialists and bat ecologists is helping bridge gaps in understanding that allow us to rapidly make progress in better addressing this unprecedented disease. The novel video surveillance systems developed by USGS researchers and their partners for deployment in bat hibernation sites have functioned well over entire winters and allowed new types of data to be collected. Video data resulting from this work are beginning to reveal the previously undocumented behaviors of hibernating bats and are offering insight into hibernation behaviors that might help bats survive fungal infection. Physiological studies have documented electrolyte depletion in WNS bats and led to support of the USGS-formulated hypothesis that dehydration plays a major role in the susceptibility of bats to P. destructans. Ongoing mathematical modeling is revealing that humidity of bat hibernacula likely has a major influence on the ability of certain species to survive WNS and may possibly explain why European bats are less susceptible to fungal infection.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 16First direct evidence of long-distance seasonal movements and hibernation in a migratory bat
Understanding of migration in small bats has been constrained by limitations of techniques that were labor-intensive, provided coarse levels of resolution, or were limited to population-level inferences. Knowledge of movements and behaviors of individual bats have been unknowable because of limitations in size of tracking devices and methods to attach them for long periods. We used sutures to attaAuthorsTheodore J. Weller, Kevin T. Castle, Felix Liechti, Cris D. Hein, Michael R. Schirmacher, Paul M. CryanEnvironment, host, and fungal traits predict continental-scale white-nose syndrome in bats
White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease killing bats in eastern North America, but disease is not seen in European bats and is less severe in some North American species. We show that how bats use energy during hibernation and fungal growth rates under different environmental conditions can explain how some bats are able to survive winter with infection and others are not. Our study shows how simpAuthorsDavid T.S. Hayman, Juliet R.C. Pulliam, Jonathan C. Marshall, Paul M. Cryan, Colleen T. WebbWatching the dark: New surveillance cameras are changing bat research
It is, according to an old proverb, “better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” And those of us trying to discover new insights into the mysterious lives of bats often do a lot of cursing in the darkness. Bats do most things under cover of night, and often in places where humans and most other animals can’t go. This dark inaccessibility is great for bats, but not so great for those of uAuthorsPaul M. Cryan, P. Marcos GorresenPathophysiology of white-nose syndrome in bats: A mechanistic model linking wing damage to mortality
White-nose syndrome is devastating North American bat populations but we lack basic information on disease mechanisms. Altered blood physiology owing to epidermal invasion by the fungal pathogen Geomyces destructans (Gd) has been hypothesized as a cause of disrupted torpor patterns of affected hibernating bats, leading to mortality. Here, we present data on blood electrolyte concentration, haematoAuthorsLisa Warnecke, James M. Turner, Trent K. Bollinger, Vikram Misra, Paul M. Cryan, David S. Blehert, Gudrun Wibbelt, Craig K. R. WillisElectrolyte depletion in white-nose syndrome bats
The emerging wildlife disease white-nose syndrome is causing widespread mortality in hibernating North American bats. White-nose syndrome occurs when the fungus Geomyces destructans infects the living skin of bats during hibernation, but links between infection and mortality are underexplored. We analyzed blood from hibernating bats and compared blood electrolyte levels to wing damage caused by thAuthorsPaul M. Cryan, Carol Uphoff Meteyer, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Gregory G. Turner, Julie Webb, Melissa Behr, Michelle L. Verant, Robin E. Russell, Kevin T. CastleInoculation of bats with European Geomyces destructans supports the novel pathogen hypothesis for the origin of white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats associated with cutaneous infection by the fungus Geomyces destructans (Gd), and responsible for devastating declines of bat populations in eastern North America. Affected bats appear emaciated and one hypothesis is that they spend too much time out of torpor during hibernation, depleting vital fat reserves required to survive thAuthorsLisa Warnecke, James M. Turner, Trent K. Bollinger, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Vikram Misra, Paul M. Cryan, Gudrun Wibbelt, David S. Blehert, Craig K. R. WillisEcology of zoonotic infectious diseases in bats: current knowledge and future directions
Bats are hosts to a range of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic pathogens. Human activities that increase exposure to bats will likely increase the opportunity for infections to spill over in the future. Ecological drivers of pathogen spillover and emergence in novel hosts, including humans, involve a complex mixture of processes, and understanding these complexities may aid in predicting spilloverAuthorsD.T. Hayman, R. A. Bowen, P.M. Cryan, G.F. McCracken, T. J. O'Shea, A.J. Peel, A. Gilbert, C.T. Webb, J.L. WoodEnvironmental conditions associated with bat white-nose syndrome in the north-eastern United States
1. White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating North American bats that is caused by the cold-growing fungus Geomyces destructans. Since first observed in the winter of 2007, WNS has led to unprecedented mortality in several species of bats and may threaten more than 15 additional hibernating bat species if it continues across the continent. Although the exact means by which fuAuthorsAbigail R. Flory, Sunil Kumar, Thomas J. Stohlgren, Paul M. CryanWing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing unprecedented declines in several species of North American bats. The characteristic lesions of WNS are caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans, which erodes and replaces the living skin of bats while they hibernate. It is unknown how this infection kills the bats. We review here the unique physiological importance of wings to hibernating bats in relation toAuthorsPaul M. Cryan, Carol U. Meteyer, Justin G. Boyles, David S. BlehertInvestigating and managing the rapid emergence of white-nose syndrome, a novel, fatal, infectious disease of hibernating bats
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fatal disease of bats that hibernate. The etiologic agent of WNS is the fungus Geomyces destructans, which infects the skin and wing membranes. Over 1 million bats in six species in eastern North America have died from WNS since 2006, and as a result several species of bats may become endangered or extinct. Information is lacking on the pathogenesis of G. destructansAuthorsJanet Foley, Deana Clifford, Kevin Castle, Paul M. Cryan, Richard S. OstfeldEconomic importance of bats in agriculture
White-nose syndrome (WNS) and the increased development of wind-power facilities are threatening populations of insectivorous bats in North America. Bats are voracious predators of nocturnal insects, including many crop and forest pests. We present here analyses suggesting that loss of bats in North America could lead to agricultural losses estimated at more than $3.7 billion/year. Urgent effortsAuthorsJustin G. Boyles, Paul M. Cryan, Gary F. McCracken, Thomas H. KunzWhite-nose syndrome in bats: a primer for resource managers
White-nose syndrome emerged as a devastating new disease of North American hibernating bats over the past four winters. The disease has spread more than 1,600 kilometers (1,000 mi) since it was first observed in a small area of upstate New York, and has affected six species of bats in the caves and mines they rely on for winter survival. A newly discovered, cold-loving fungus (Geomyces destructansAuthorsK.T. Castle, P.M. Cryan