Bats occupying hibernacula during summer months may play an important role in the epidemiology of white-nose syndrome (WNS). For example, bats exposed to viable Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the causative agent of WNS, in late summer could spread the fungus by transmitting it to other bats or to other locations suitable for establishment of new environmental reservoirs. To explore risks for transmission of Pd during the non-hibernal season, we screened bats using hibernacula between July 18 to August 22, 2012 and associated environmental samples for presence of Pd. Study sites within the eastern United States included six hibernacula known to harbor Pd and two hibernacula in which bats with WNS had not been previously observed. Standard demographic and morphometric data were recorded for bats captured from inside each study site. Sample types evaluated for the presence of Pd included bat wing swabs, guano pellets from individual bats, swabs of hibernaculum walls, and sediments from the hibernaculum floor. Additionally, swabs of various trapping and processing equipment and clothing worn into study sites were evaluated for the presence of Pd.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2017 |
|---|---|
| Title | WNS Summer Surveillance: DATA |
| DOI | 10.5066/F78P5XRX |
| Authors | Anne E Ballmann |
| Product Type | Data Release |
| Record Source | USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog |
| USGS Organization | National Wildlife Health Center |
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Dispersal hazards of Pseudogymnoascus destructans by bats and human activity at hibernacula in summer
Bats occupying hibernacula during summer are exposed to Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the causative agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), and may contribute to its dispersal. Furthermore, equipment and clothing exposed to cave environments are a potential source for human-assisted spread of Pd. To explore dispersal hazards for Pd during the nonhibernal season, we tested samples that were collecAuthorsAnne Ballmann, Miranda R. Torkelson, Elizabeth A. Bohuski, Robin E. Russell, David S. Blehert - Connect