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Jeffrey M Lorch

Jeff Lorch is a Microbiologist at the National Wildlife Health Center.

He received bachelor degrees in Bacteriology and Wildlife Ecology and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Environmental Toxicology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Since joining the USGS, Dr. Lorch has devoted his career to investigating and diagnosing wildlife mortality events and studying emerging wildlife diseases. Presently, his work focuses on disease ecology and management of bat white-nose syndrome and snake fungal disease, surveillance for Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (the fungus that causes salamander chytridiomycosis), and development of molecular methods for detection of wildlife pathogens.

Professional Experience

  • 2015 – Present, Microbiologist, National Wildlife Health Center

  • 2012 – 2015, Research Associate, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2012

  • B.S. Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2005

  • B.S. Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2005

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • 2015 – Present, Honorary Associate, Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Science and Products

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API for microorganism identification

Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratory (DML)

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center's Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratory (DML) routinely performs a variety of procedures to isolate and identify important pathogenic bacteria and fungi from wildlife.  Microbes are identified based upon morphological characteristics, biochemical/physiological properties, molecular assays (e.g., PCR), and DNA sequence analysis.

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Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratory (DML)

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center's Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratory (DML) routinely performs a variety of procedures to isolate and identify important pathogenic bacteria and fungi from wildlife.  Microbes are identified based upon morphological characteristics, biochemical/physiological properties, molecular assays (e.g., PCR), and DNA sequence analysis.

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snake fungal disease

Prevalence Rates of Snake Fungal Disease and Its Population-level Impacts in a Snake Assemblage in Southwest Louisiana

WARC researchers used visual encounter surveys to determine prevalence rates of snake fungal disease in south-central Louisiana.
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
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Prevalence Rates of Snake Fungal Disease and Its Population-level Impacts in a Snake Assemblage in Southwest Louisiana

WARC researchers used visual encounter surveys to determine prevalence rates of snake fungal disease in south-central Louisiana.
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A juvenile Broad-banded Watersnake that tested positive for snake fungal disease (SFD) exhibiting ulceration of the skin.

Snake Fungal Disease

Snake fungal disease is an infectious disease confirmed in numerous species of snakes caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
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Snake Fungal Disease

Snake fungal disease is an infectious disease confirmed in numerous species of snakes caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola.
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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 Mission Area, 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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Population genetic analysis of the snake-infecting fungus, Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, in the eastern United States

Snake fungal disease (SFD; ophidiomycosis), caused by the pathogen Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo), has been documented in wild snakes in North America and Eurasia, and is a potentially emerging disease in the eastern USA. However, a lack of historical disease data has made it challenging to determine whether Oo is a recent arrival to the USA or whether SFD emergence is due to other factors. Here, w
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Tracking the growth of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola over time in natural and sterile soils using quantitative PCR

Wildlife diseases pose an ever-growing threat to global biodiversity. Understanding how wildlife pathogens are distributed in the environment and the ability of pathogens to form environmental reservoirs is critical to understanding and predicting disease dynamics within host populations. Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging conservation threat to North American snake populations. The causati
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National Wildlife Health Center

Confirmed cases of snake fungal disease in historical museum specimens

Snake fungal disease (SFD) represents a conservation threat to wild snake populations. The disease was reported in North America early in the 21st century, but the history of SFD has not been investigated. We examined museum specimens and confirmed cases of SFD based on clinical signs, histopathologic lesions, and detection of the causative agent Ophidiomyces ophidiicola. The first confirmed cases
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Skin mycobiomes of eastern North American bats

North American bats have experienced catastrophic population declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Although Pd can infect many hibernating bat species, population-level impacts of WNS vary by host species. Microbial skin assemblages, including the fungal component (mycobiome), can influence host resistance to infectious diseases; how
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Data from Burmese Pythons swabbed for the presence of SFD-causing Ophidiomyces in southwest Florida

The size and sex of each of the Burmese pythons swabbed in this study for the SFD-causing (snake fungal disease) Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola pathogen is given along with the real time PCR swab result.
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Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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 Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Emerging fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in wild European snakes

Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging disease of wild snakes in eastern North America caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola. Recently, the disease has also been detected in wild snake in Europe. The data presented here describe: 1) culture, PCR, and histopathology results of wild European snakes opportunistically sampled for O. ophiodiicola, 2) colony expansion rates of various isolat
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Snake dermatitis data

Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging disease of wild snakes in eastern North America caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola. The data presented here describe: 1) the types of fungi recovered in culture from the skin of snakes with and without fungal skin infections, 2) the presence or absence of skin lesions in populations of snakes surveyed at several sites in Wisconsin and Minnesota
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Chinese firebelly new
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Chinese fire belly newt
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Image: Fungal Growth on Petri Dish
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Image: Soil Next to a Dime
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Filter Total Items: 58

Wild rodents harbor high diversity of Arthroderma

Arthroderma is the most diverse genus of dermatophytes, and its natural reservoir is considered to be soil enriched by keratin sources. During a study on the diversity of dermatophytes in wild small rodents in the Czech Republic, we isolated several strains of Arthroderma. To explore the diversity and ecological significance of these isolates from rodents (n = 29), we characterised the strains gen
Authors
Štěpánka Moulíková, Miroslav Kolařík, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Daniela Kolarczyková, Vit Hubka, Adéla Čmoková
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Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Epistylis spp. infestation in two species of mud turtles (Kinosternon spp.) in the American Southwest

The protistan genus Epistylis contains freshwater colonial species that attach to aquatic organisms in an epibiotic or parasitic relationship. They are known to attach to the epidermis and shells of aquatic turtles, but have not been reported to cause heavy infestations or morbidity in turtles. We documented heavy infestations of Epistylis spp. in several populations of Sonoran mud turtles (Kinost
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Audrey K. Owens, Jennifer A. Smith, Rebecca A. Cole, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Daniel A. Grear
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Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Ophidiomycosis is related to seasonal patterns of reproduction, ecdysis, and thermoregulatory behavior in a free-living snake species

Informed and effective management of emerging infectious diseases can be improved by a clear understanding of host–pathogen–environment interactions. Impacts of the seasonal environment on pathogen dynamics and host responses are poorly described in most reptile host–fungal pathogen systems. Here, we describe seasonal patterns of ophidiomycosis, a disease caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiic
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C. M. Lind, J. Agugliaro, Jeffrey M. Lorch, T. M. Farrell
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Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

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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Nicola T. Case, Judith Berman, David S. Blehert, Robert A. Cramer, Christina A. Cuomo, Cameron R. Currie, Iuliana V. Ene, Matthew C. Fisher, Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin, Aleeza C. Gerstein, N. Louise Glass, Neil A. R. Gow, Sarah J. Gurr, Chris Todd Hittinger, Tobias M. Hohl, Iliyan D. Iliev, Timothy Y. James, Hailing Jin, Bruce S. Klein, James W. Kronstad, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Victoria McGovern, Aaron P. Mitchell, Julia A. Segre, Rebecca S. Shapiro, Donald C. Sheppard, Anita Sil, Jason E. Stajich, Eva E. Stukenbrock, John W. Taylor, Dawn Thompson, Gerard D. Wright, Joseph Heitman, Leah E. Cowen
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Ecosystems Mission Area, 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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Lotus A. Lofgren, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Robert A. Cramer, David S. Blehert, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Megan Winzeler, Cecilia Gutierrez-Perez, Nicole E. Kordana, Jason E. Stajich
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Ecosystems Mission Area, 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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Yezhi Fu, Nkuchia M. M’ikanatha, Jeffrey M. Lorch, David S. Blehert, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Chris A. Whitehouse, Shaoting Li, Xiangyu Deng, Jared C. Smith, Nikki W. Shariat, Erin M. Nawrocki, Edward G. Dudley
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Ecosystems Mission Area, 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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Yezhi Fu, Nkuchia M M’ikanatha, Chris A Whitehouse, Heather Tate, Andrea Ottensen, Jeffrey M. Lorch, David S. Blehert, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Edward G. Dudley
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Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Comparative genomics analyses support the reclassification of Bisgaard taxon 40 as Mergibacter gen. nov., with Mergibacter septicus sp. nov. as type species: Novel insights into the phylogeny and virulence factors of a Pasteurellaceae family member associ

The Pasteurellaceae family has been associated with fatal diseases in numerous avian species. Several new taxa within this family, including Bisgaard taxon 40, have been recently described in wild birds, but their genomic characteristics and pathogenicity are not well understood. We isolated Bisgaard taxon 40 from four species of seabirds, including one sampled during a mass, multi-species mortali
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Eliana De Luca, Sonsiray Álvarez-Narváez, Grazieli Maboni, Rodrigo P Baptista, Nicole M Nemeth, Kevin D. Niedringhaus, Jason T. Ladner, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Galina Koroleva, Sean Lovett, Gustavo F Palacios, Susan Sanchez
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Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Koch’s postulates: Confirming Nannizziopsis guarroi as the cause of yellow fungal disease in Pogona vitticeps

Nannizziopsis guarroi is an ascomycete fungus associated with a necrotizing dermatitis in captive green iguanas (Iguana iguana) and bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) across both Europe and North America. Clinical signs of the disease include swelling and lesion formation. Lesions develop from white raised bumps on the skin and progress into crusty, yellow, discolored scales, eventually becoming n
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Savannah L Gentry, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Julia S. Lankton, Anne Pringle
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 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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Karen J Vanderwolf, Lewis J. Campbell, Daniel R. Taylor, Tony L. Goldberg, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Confirmed cases of Ophidiomycosis in museum specimens from the USA as early as 1945

Ophidiomycosis represents a conservation threat to wild snake populations. The disease was reported in North America early in the 21st century, but the history of ophidiomycosis has not been investigated. We examined museum specimens and confirmed cases of ophidiomycosis >50 years before the disease’s reported emergence.
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Jeffrey M. Lorch, Steven J. Price, Julia S. Lankton, Andrea N. Drayer
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Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Soil reservoir dynamics of ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the causative agent of snake fungal disease

Wildlife diseases pose an ever-growing threat to global biodiversity. Understanding how wildlife pathogens are distributed in the environment and the ability of pathogens to form environmental reservoirs is critical to understanding and predicting disease dynamics within host populations. Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging conservation threat to North American snake populations. The causati
Authors
Lewis J. Campbell, Joanna Burger, Robert T. Zappalorti, John F. Bunnell, Megan Winzeler, Daniel R. Taylor, Jeffrey M. Lorch
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Kapfer, J.M., Sloss, B.L., Schuurman, G.W., Paloski, R.A., and Lorch, J.M. 2013. Evidence of hybridization between common gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) and Butler's gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) in Wisconsin (USA). Journal of Herpetology 47:400-405.

**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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White-nose syndrome surveillance and research updates

Updates on white-nose syndrome surveillance and research from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Fall 2019.

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Snake Fungal Disease Identified in Wild British Snakes for First Time

Europe’s wild snakes could face a growing threat from a fungal skin disease that has...

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Fungal Disease that Threatens Snakes is Widespread in Eastern U.S.

  

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Cause of Deadly Disease in Snakes Identified

The fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola is the definitive cause of the skin infections in snakes known as snake fungal disease, or SFD, according to U.S...

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Cause of Deadly Disease in Snakes Identified

The fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola is the definitive cause of the skin infections in snakes known as snake fungal disease, or SFD, according to U.S...

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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