David S Blehert (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 74
Analysis of archival specimens confirms White-nose syndrome in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from New York, USA, in spring 2007 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.
Authors
Saskia Keller, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Anne Ballmann, David S. Blehert
Laboratory maintenance and culture of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome 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...
Authors
David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Skin fungal assemblages of bats vary based on susceptibility to white-nose syndrome 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...
Authors
Karen J Vanderwolf, Lewis Campbell, Tony L. Goldberg, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats 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...
Authors
Kevin J. Olival, Paul M. Cryan, Brian R. Amman, Ralph S. Baric, David S. Blehert, Cara E. Brook, Charles H. Calisher, Kevin T. Castle, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Peter Daszak, Jonathan H. Epstein, Hume Field, Winifred F. Frick, Amy T. Gilbert, David T. S. Hayman, S. Ip, William B Karesh, Christine K. Johnson, Rebekah C. Kading, Tigga Kingston, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Ian H. Mendenhall, Alison J. Peel, Kendra L. Phelps, Raina K. Plowright, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Jonathan D. Reichard, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Daniel G. Streicker, Jonathan S. Towner, Lin-Fa Wang
Assessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment 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...
Authors
Michael C. Runge, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Jonathan D. Reichard, Samantha E.J. Gibbs, Paul M. Cryan, Kevin J. Olival, Daniel P. Walsh, David S. Blehert, M. Camille Hopkins, Jonathan M. Sleeman
Validation of laboratory tests for infectious diseases in wild mammals: Review and recommendations 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...
Authors
Jia Beibei, David Colling, David E. Stallknecht, David S. Blehert, John Bingham, Beate Crossley, Debbie Eagles, Ian A Gardner
Threats posed by the Fungal Kingdom to humans, wildlife, and agriculture Threats posed by the Fungal Kingdom to humans, wildlife, and agriculture
The Fungal Kingdom includes at least six million eukaryotic species and is remarkable with respect to its profound impact on global health, biodiversity, ecology, agriculture, manufacturing, and biomedical research. Approximately 625 fungal species have been reported to infect vertebrates, 200 of which can be human-associated, either as commensals and members of our microbiome or as...
Authors
Matthew C. Fisher, Sarah J. Gurr, Christina A. Cuomo, David S. Blehert, Hailing Jin, Eva H. Stukenbrock, Jason E. Stajich, Regine Kahmann, Charles Boone, David W. Denning, Neil A. R. Gow, Bruce S. Klein, James W. Kronstad, Donald C. Sheppard, John W. Taylor, Gerard D. Wright, Joseph Heitman, Arturo Casadevall, Leah E. Cowen
Long-term survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans at elevated temperatures Long-term survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans at elevated temperatures
White-nose syndrome is an emerging fungal disease that has devastated hibernating bat populations across eastern North America. The causal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (PD), is a psychrophilic fungus with a known maximal growth temperature of 20 C. Although it is widely speculated that PD is primarily spread between hibernacula by the movement of bats, experimental evidence is...
Authors
Lewis Campbell, Daniel P. Walsh, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network
In “Prepublication Communication of Research Results”, Adams et al. (2018) outline the importance of timeliness in providing scientific results with consequential implications for wildlife management to responsible government agencies. The authors discuss various impediments to sharing of scientific results and provide well-reasoned arguments why scientists should not fear that sharing...
Authors
Jonathan M. Sleeman, David S. Blehert, Katherine L. D. Richgels, C. LeAnn White
Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing significant declines in populations of North American hibernating bats, and recent western and southern expansions of the disease have placed additional species at risk. Understanding differences in species susceptibility and identifying management actions to reduce mortality of bats from WNS are top research priorities. However, the use of wild...
Authors
Michelle Verant, Carol U. Meteyer, Benjamin Stading, David S. Blehert
Malassezia vespertilionis sp. nov.: A new cold-tolerant species of yeast isolated from bats Malassezia vespertilionis sp. nov.: A new cold-tolerant species of yeast isolated from bats
Malassezia is a genus of medically-important, lipid-dependent yeasts that live on the skin of warm-blooded animals. The 17 described species have been documented primarily on humans and domestic animals, but few studies have examined Malassezia species associated with more diverse host groups such as wildlife. While investigating the skin mycobiota of healthy bats, we isolated a...
Authors
Jeffrey M. Lorch, Jonathan M. Palmer, Karen J. Vanderwolf, Katie Z. Schmidt, Michelle L. Verant, Theodore J. Weller, David S. Blehert
Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: Implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: Implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome
Fungal diseases are an emerging global problem affecting human health, food security and biodiversity. Ability of many fungal pathogens to persist within environmental reservoirs can increase extinction risks for host species and presents challenges for disease control. Understanding factors that regulate pathogen spread and persistence in these reservoirs is critical for effective...
Authors
Michelle L. Verant, Elizabeth A. Bohuski, Katherine L. D. Richgels, Kevin J. Olival, Jonathan H. Epstein, David S. Blehert
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.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 74
Analysis of archival specimens confirms White-nose syndrome in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from New York, USA, in spring 2007 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.
Authors
Saskia Keller, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Anne Ballmann, David S. Blehert
Laboratory maintenance and culture of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome 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...
Authors
David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Skin fungal assemblages of bats vary based on susceptibility to white-nose syndrome 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...
Authors
Karen J Vanderwolf, Lewis Campbell, Tony L. Goldberg, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats 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...
Authors
Kevin J. Olival, Paul M. Cryan, Brian R. Amman, Ralph S. Baric, David S. Blehert, Cara E. Brook, Charles H. Calisher, Kevin T. Castle, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Peter Daszak, Jonathan H. Epstein, Hume Field, Winifred F. Frick, Amy T. Gilbert, David T. S. Hayman, S. Ip, William B Karesh, Christine K. Johnson, Rebekah C. Kading, Tigga Kingston, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Ian H. Mendenhall, Alison J. Peel, Kendra L. Phelps, Raina K. Plowright, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Jonathan D. Reichard, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Daniel G. Streicker, Jonathan S. Towner, Lin-Fa Wang
Assessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment 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...
Authors
Michael C. Runge, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Jonathan D. Reichard, Samantha E.J. Gibbs, Paul M. Cryan, Kevin J. Olival, Daniel P. Walsh, David S. Blehert, M. Camille Hopkins, Jonathan M. Sleeman
Validation of laboratory tests for infectious diseases in wild mammals: Review and recommendations 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...
Authors
Jia Beibei, David Colling, David E. Stallknecht, David S. Blehert, John Bingham, Beate Crossley, Debbie Eagles, Ian A Gardner
Threats posed by the Fungal Kingdom to humans, wildlife, and agriculture Threats posed by the Fungal Kingdom to humans, wildlife, and agriculture
The Fungal Kingdom includes at least six million eukaryotic species and is remarkable with respect to its profound impact on global health, biodiversity, ecology, agriculture, manufacturing, and biomedical research. Approximately 625 fungal species have been reported to infect vertebrates, 200 of which can be human-associated, either as commensals and members of our microbiome or as...
Authors
Matthew C. Fisher, Sarah J. Gurr, Christina A. Cuomo, David S. Blehert, Hailing Jin, Eva H. Stukenbrock, Jason E. Stajich, Regine Kahmann, Charles Boone, David W. Denning, Neil A. R. Gow, Bruce S. Klein, James W. Kronstad, Donald C. Sheppard, John W. Taylor, Gerard D. Wright, Joseph Heitman, Arturo Casadevall, Leah E. Cowen
Long-term survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans at elevated temperatures Long-term survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans at elevated temperatures
White-nose syndrome is an emerging fungal disease that has devastated hibernating bat populations across eastern North America. The causal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (PD), is a psychrophilic fungus with a known maximal growth temperature of 20 C. Although it is widely speculated that PD is primarily spread between hibernacula by the movement of bats, experimental evidence is...
Authors
Lewis Campbell, Daniel P. Walsh, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network
In “Prepublication Communication of Research Results”, Adams et al. (2018) outline the importance of timeliness in providing scientific results with consequential implications for wildlife management to responsible government agencies. The authors discuss various impediments to sharing of scientific results and provide well-reasoned arguments why scientists should not fear that sharing...
Authors
Jonathan M. Sleeman, David S. Blehert, Katherine L. D. Richgels, C. LeAnn White
Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing significant declines in populations of North American hibernating bats, and recent western and southern expansions of the disease have placed additional species at risk. Understanding differences in species susceptibility and identifying management actions to reduce mortality of bats from WNS are top research priorities. However, the use of wild...
Authors
Michelle Verant, Carol U. Meteyer, Benjamin Stading, David S. Blehert
Malassezia vespertilionis sp. nov.: A new cold-tolerant species of yeast isolated from bats Malassezia vespertilionis sp. nov.: A new cold-tolerant species of yeast isolated from bats
Malassezia is a genus of medically-important, lipid-dependent yeasts that live on the skin of warm-blooded animals. The 17 described species have been documented primarily on humans and domestic animals, but few studies have examined Malassezia species associated with more diverse host groups such as wildlife. While investigating the skin mycobiota of healthy bats, we isolated a...
Authors
Jeffrey M. Lorch, Jonathan M. Palmer, Karen J. Vanderwolf, Katie Z. Schmidt, Michelle L. Verant, Theodore J. Weller, David S. Blehert
Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: Implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: Implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome
Fungal diseases are an emerging global problem affecting human health, food security and biodiversity. Ability of many fungal pathogens to persist within environmental reservoirs can increase extinction risks for host species and presents challenges for disease control. Understanding factors that regulate pathogen spread and persistence in these reservoirs is critical for effective...
Authors
Michelle L. Verant, Elizabeth A. Bohuski, Katherine L. D. Richgels, Kevin J. Olival, Jonathan H. Epstein, David S. Blehert
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.
*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