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David S Blehert

David Blehert is Chief of the National Wildlife Health Center's Laboratory Sciences Branch

David Blehert received a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999, and he joined the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) as a Diagnostic and Research Microbiologist in 2003. His research focuses on investigation of the ecology and pathobiology of bat white-nose syndrome. Today, Dr. Blehert is Chief of the NWHC's Laboratory Sciences Branch, which specializes in the investigation of unusual mortality events impacting our nation's wildlife. His laboratories also conduct surveillance for animal diseases of high consequence, such as white-nose syndrome in bats and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in wild waterfowl.

Professional Experience

  • 2014 to present, Chief, Laboratory Sciences Branch, U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin

  • 2003-2014, Diagnostic and Research Microbiologist, U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin

  • 1999 to 2003, Intramural Research Training Associate Fellow, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1999

  • B.S. Biology, University of Minnesota-Minneapolis St. Paul, 1993

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • 2003 to present, Honorary Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiological Sciences

Science and Products

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Testing for Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza Surveillance

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) conducts surveillance in wild birds to facilitate early detection and situational awareness for high consequence pathogens, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses.
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
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Avian Influenza Surveillance

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) conducts surveillance in wild birds to facilitate early detection and situational awareness for high consequence pathogens, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses.
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Bats benefit from maintaining a close-knit roosting group.

Tracking Bats and Coronaviruses

Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to tracking bats and coronaviruses. Select tabs above for related items.
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Tracking Bats and Coronaviruses

Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to tracking bats and coronaviruses. Select tabs above for related items.
Learn More
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Two mule deer in a field of yellow and green

Enhanced Capacity for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Certified Diagnostics at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease that impacts populations of deer, elk, moose, and other cervid species caused by an infectious protein called a prion.
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
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Enhanced Capacity for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Certified Diagnostics at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease that impacts populations of deer, elk, moose, and other cervid species caused by an infectious protein called a prion.
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USGS science for a changing world logo

Transforming Biosurveillance by Standardizing and Serving 40 Years of Wildlife Disease Data

Over the past 40 years the National Wildlife Health center has collected wildlife health information from around the U.S. and beyond, amassing the world’s largest repository of wildlife-disease surveillance data. This project identified, characterized, and documented NWHC’s locally stored wildlife health datasets, a critical first step to migrating them to new laboratory- and public-facing data s
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Community for Data Integration (CDI)
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Transforming Biosurveillance by Standardizing and Serving 40 Years of Wildlife Disease Data

Over the past 40 years the National Wildlife Health center has collected wildlife health information from around the U.S. and beyond, amassing the world’s largest repository of wildlife-disease surveillance data. This project identified, characterized, and documented NWHC’s locally stored wildlife health datasets, a critical first step to migrating them to new laboratory- and public-facing data s
Learn More
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Northern gannet flying with mountains in background.

Avian Influenza

Avian influenza is a viral disease caused by various strains of avian influenza viruses that can be classified as low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) or highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It remains a global disease with potential high consequence with the potential to threaten wildlife, agriculture, and human health.
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Fish & Wildlife Disease, National Wildlife Health Center
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Avian Influenza

Avian influenza is a viral disease caused by various strains of avian influenza viruses that can be classified as low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) or highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It remains a global disease with potential high consequence with the potential to threaten wildlife, agriculture, and human health.
Learn More
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Swabs for Extraction

Diagnostic Services

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) conducts laboratory investigations to determine the causes of wildlife mortality events, especially large-scale die-offs or those that are otherwise unusual.
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
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Diagnostic Services

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) conducts laboratory investigations to determine the causes of wildlife mortality events, especially large-scale die-offs or those that are otherwise unusual.
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Image: Bat with White-nose Syndrome

White-Nose Syndrome

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emergent disease of hibernating bats that has spread from the northeastern across United States at an alarming rate.
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
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White-Nose Syndrome

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emergent disease of hibernating bats that has spread from the northeastern across United States at an alarming rate.
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Dr. Carol U. Meteyer examining a bat

USGS Scientists Receive Award for Pioneering Work on White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

Dr. Carol U. Meteyer and Dr. David S. Blehert received the Tom Thorne and Beth Williams Memorial Award from the Wildlife Disease Association and the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians for their pioneering work on white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats.
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Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
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USGS Scientists Receive Award for Pioneering Work on White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

Dr. Carol U. Meteyer and Dr. David S. Blehert received the Tom Thorne and Beth Williams Memorial Award from the Wildlife Disease Association and the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians for their pioneering work on white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats.
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Pseudogymnoascus destructans survival at elevated temperatures - Artificial media count data

The survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) was evaluated at temperatures outside of its thermal range of growth on three different artificial growth media; Sabouraud dextrose agar (SD), brain-heart infusion agar (BHI), and brain-heart infusion agar supplemented with 10% sheep red blood cells (BHI+B). Pd was harvested from starting cultures grown of MEA agar at 7?C for 60 days. Harvested con
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome: hibernation data

This dataset includes skin temperatures of twelve Tadarida brasiliensis held in environmental chambers maintained at 7.7 (SD 0.9) degrees C and 91.8 (SD 0.8) % relative humidity to induce and support hibernation for up to 3 months. Bats were randomly assigned to infected and control groups at the start of the experiment and infected with conidia of Pseudogymnoascus destructans or a sham treatment
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: data

This dataset includes data used to summarize trends and identify best-fit models to explain patterns in presence-absence and abundance of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) in environmental substrates and on bats within six bat hibernacula at different stages of white-nose syndrome (WNS). Data relating to environmental substrates include: dates and relative spatial locations of samples collected wi
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Filter Total Items: 67

The future of fungi: Threats and opportunities

The fungal kingdom represents an extraordinary diversity of organisms with profound impacts across animal, plant, and ecosystem health. Fungi simultaneously support life, by forming beneficial symbioses with plants and producing life-saving medicines, and bring death, by causing devastating diseases in humans, plants, and animals. With climate change, increased antimicrobial resistance, global tra
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

Avian-associated Aspergillus fumigatus displays broad phylogenetic distribution, no evidence for host specificity, and multiple genotypes within epizootic events

Birds are highly susceptible to aspergillosis, which can manifest as a primary infection in both domestic and wild birds. Aspergillosis in wild birds causes mortalities ranging in scale from single animals to large-scale epizootic events. However, pathogenicity factors associated with aspergillosis in wild birds have not been examined. Specifically, it is unknown whether wild bird-infecting strain
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium from wild birds in the United States represent distinct lineages defined by bird type

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is typically considered a host generalist; however, certain isolates are associated with specific hosts and show genetic features of host adaptation. Here, we sequenced 131 S. Typhimurium isolates from wild birds collected in 30 U.S. states during 1978-2019. We found that isolates from broad taxonomic host groups including passerine birds, water birds (Aequo
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

Low occurrence of multi-antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance in Salmonella enterica from wild birds in the United States

Wild birds are common reservoirs of Salmonella enterica. Wild birds carrying resistant S. enterica may pose a risk to public health as they can spread the resistant bacteria across large spatial scales within a short time. Here, we whole-genome sequenced 375 S. enterica strains from wild birds collected in 41 U.S. states during 1978–2019 to examine bacterial resistance to antibiotics and heavy met
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

An opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America

In summer 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected on mink farms in Utah. An interagency One Health response was initiated to assess the extent of the outbreak and included sampling animals from on or near affected mink farms and testing them for SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS coronaviruses. Among the 365 animals sampled, including domestic cats, mink, rodents, racc
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

Mycobiome traits associated with disease tolerance predict many western North American bat species will be susceptible to white-nose syndrome

White-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease that has caused catastrophic population declines of bats in eastern North America, is rapidly spreading across the continent and now threatens previously unexposed bat species in western North America. The causal agent of WNS, the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, can infect many species of hibernating bats, but susceptibility to WNS varies by host sp
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Analysis of archival specimens confirms White-nose syndrome in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from New York, USA, in spring 2007

White-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging fungal disease of North American bats, was first diagnosed in January 2008, although mortality and photo-documentation suggest the disease may have been present earlier. Using archived samples, we describe a definitive case of WNS in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from New York, USA, in spring 2007.
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

Laboratory maintenance and culture of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome

Pseudogymnoascus destructans is a fungal pathogen that causes white‐nose syndrome, an emerging and fatal disease of North American bats that has led to unprecedented population declines. As a psychrophile, P. destructans is adapted to infect bats during winter hibernation, when host metabolic activity and core body temperature are greatly reduced. The ability to maintain and cultivate isolates of 
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center

Skin fungal assemblages of bats vary based on susceptibility to white-nose syndrome

Microbial skin assemblages, including fungal communities, can influence host resistance to infectious diseases. The diversity-invasibility hypothesis predicts that high-diversity communities are less easily invaded than species-poor communities, and thus diverse microbial communities may prevent pathogens from colonizing a host. To explore the hypothesis that host fungal communities mediate resist
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, National Wildlife Health Center

Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the substantial public health, economic, and societal consequences of virus spillover from a wildlife reservoir. Widespread human transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also presents a new set of challenges when considering viral spillover from people to naïve wildlife and other animal populations. The establishment of new wild
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Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center, Fort Collins Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis

Assessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment

The novel β-coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, may pose a threat to North American bat populations if bats are exposed to the virus through interaction with humans, if the virus can subsequently infect bats and be transmitted among them, and if the virus causes morbidity or mortality in bats. Further, if SARS-CoV-2 became established in bat populations, it could possibly serve as a source for new infection
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Validation of laboratory tests for infectious diseases in wild mammals: Review and recommendations

Evaluation of the diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and specificity (DSp) of tests for infectious diseases in wild animals is challenging, and some of the limitations may affect compliance with the OIE-recommended test validation pathway. We conducted a methodologic review of test validation studies for OIE-listed diseases in wild mammals published between 2008 and 2017 and focused on study design, sta
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Rickard, A.H., R.J. Palmer, Jr., D.S. Blehert, S.R. Campagna, M.F. Semmelhack, P.G. Egland, B.L. Bassler, and P.E. Kolenbrander. 2006. Autoinducer 2: a concentration-dependent signal for mutualistic bacterial biofilm growth. Molecular Microbiology 60: 1446-1456.
Orville, A. M., L. Manning, D.S. Blehert, J.M. Studts, B.W. Matthews, B.G. Fox, and G.H. Chambliss. 2004. Crystallization and preliminary analysis of xenobiotic reductase A and ligand complexes from Pseudomonas putida II-B. Acta Crystallographica 60: 957-961.
Orville, A. M., L. Manning, D.S. Blehert, B.G. Fox, and G.H. Chambliss. 2004. Crystallization and preliminary analysis of xenobiotic reductase B from Pseudomonas fluorescens I-C. Acta Crystallographica 60: 1289-1291.
Blehert, D.S., R.J. Palmer, Jr., J.B. Xavier, J.S. Almeida, and P.E. Kolenbrander. 2003. Autoinducer-2 production by Streptococcus gordonii DL1 and the biofilm phenotype of a luxS mutant are influenced by nutritional conditions. Journal of Bacteriology 185: 4851-4860.
Kolenbrander, P.E., R.F. Lerud, D.S. Blehert, P.G. Egland, J.S. Foster, and R.J. Palmer, Jr. 2003. The role of coaggregation in oral biofilm formation. In V. O’Flaherty, A. Moran, P. Lens and P. Stoodley (eds.), Biofilms in Medicine, Industry and Environmental Biotechnology, IWA Publishing, London, UK. p. 32-46.
Kolenbrander, P.E., R.N. Andersen, D.S. Blehert, P.G. Egland, J.S. Foster, and R.J. Palmer, Jr. 2002. Communication among oral bacteria. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 66: 486-505.
Blehert, D.S., B.G. Fox, and G.H. Chambliss. 1999. Cloning and sequence analysis of two Pseudomonas flavoprotein xenobiotic reductases. Journal of Bacteriology 181: 6254-6263.
Blehert, D.S., K.L. Knoke, B.G. Fox, and G.H. Chambliss. 1997. Regioselectivity of nitroglycerin denitration by flavoprotein nitroester reductases purified from two Pseudomonas species. Journal of Bacteriology 179: 6912-6920.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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Creatures of the Night: The Frightening Threats to Bats

Bats play important roles in ecosystems around the world, but bat populations are at risk from disease, development, and more. USGS scientists are...

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Alabama Survey Finds First Southeastern Bat with White-Nose Syndrome

Biologists have confirmed white-nose syndrome in the southeastern bat, or Myotis austroriparius, for the first time. The species joins eight other...

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Newt News: Deadly Fish Disease Discovered in Salamanders

  

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Bat with white-nose syndrome confirmed in Washington state

OLYMPIA, Wash. – White-nose syndrome (WNS) has been confirmed in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) found near North Bend – the first recorded...

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Ultra-violet Light Works as Screening Tool for Bats with White-nose Syndrome.

Scientists working to understand the devastating bat disease known as white-nose syndrome (WNS) now have a new, non-lethal tool to identify bats with...

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Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government