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host and pathogen ecology drive the seasonal dynamics of a fungal disease, white-nose syndrome.seasonal patterns in pathogen transmission can influence the impact of disease on populations and the speed of spatial spread. increases in host contact rates or births drive seasonal epidemics in some systems, but other factors may occasionally override these influences. white-nose syndrome, caused by the emerging fungal pathogen pseudogymnoascus destructans, is spreading across north america and threatens several bat species with extinction. we examined patterns and drivers of seasonal transmi ...025473016
wing 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 to the damage caused by g. destructans and propose that mortality is caused by catastrophic disruption ...201021070683
increasing incidence of geomyces destructans fungus in bats from the czech republic and slovakia.white-nose syndrome is a disease of hibernating insectivorous bats associated with the fungus geomyces destructans. it first appeared in north america in 2006, where over a million bats died since then. in europe, g. destructans was first identified in france in 2009. its distribution, infection dynamics, and effects on hibernating bats in europe are largely unknown.201021079781
morphological and molecular characterizations of psychrophilic fungus geomyces destructans from new york bats with white nose syndrome (wns).massive die-offs of little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) have been occurring since 2006 in hibernation sites around albany, new york, and this problem has spread to other states in the northeastern united states. white cottony fungal growth is seen on the snouts of affected animals, a prominent sign of white nose syndrome (wns). a previous report described the involvement of the fungus geomyces destructans in wns, but an identical fungus was recently isolated in france from a bat that was eviden ...201020520731
white-nose syndrome fungus (geomyces destructans) in bats, europe.white-nose syndrome is an emerging disease in north america that has caused substantial declines in hibernating bats. a recently identified fungus (geomyces destructans) causes skin lesions that are characteristic of this disease. typical signs of this infection were not observed in bats in north america before white-nose syndrome was detected. however, unconfirmed reports from europe indicated white fungal growth on hibernating bats without associated deaths. to investigate these differences, h ...201020678317
rapid polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of white-nose syndrome in bats.a newly developed polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based method to rapidly and specifically detect geomyces destructans on the wings of infected bats from small quantities (1-2 mg) of tissue is described in the current study (methods for culturing and isolating g. destructans from bat skin are also described). the lower limits of detection for pcr were 5 fg of purified fungal dna or 100 conidia per 2 mg of wing tissue. by using histology as the standard, the pcr had a diagnostic specificity of 10 ...201020224080
white-nose syndrome fungus (geomyces destructans) in bat, france.white-nose syndrome is caused by the fungus geomyces destructans and is responsible for the deaths of >1,000,000 bats since 2006. this disease and fungus had been restricted to the northeastern united states. we detected this fungus in a bat in france and assessed the implications of this finding.201020113562
pathologic findings and liver elements in hibernating bats with white-nose syndrome.two groups of vespertilionid bats were collected from affected hibernacula. in group 1 (n, 14; pathology and microbiology), the average body weights of all species were at the lower limit of published ranges. twelve bats (86%) had mycotic growth in the epidermis, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands. geomyces destructans, with its characteristic curved conidia, was observed microscopically, cultured, and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. dermatitis and mural folliculitis was nil to mild. w ...201020110222
white-nose syndrome: is this emerging disease a threat to european bats?white-nose syndrome (wns) is a newly emergent disease that potentially threatens all temperate bat species. a recently identified fungus, geomyces destructans, is the most likely causative agent of this disease. until 2009, wns and g. destructans were exclusively known from north america, but recent studies have confirmed this fungus is also present in europe. we assembled an international wns consortium of 67 scientists from 29 countries and identified the most important research and conservati ...201121835492
clonal genotype of geomyces destructans among bats with white nose syndrome, new york, usa.the dispersal mechanism of geomyces destructans, which causes geomycosis (white nose syndrome) in hibernating bats, remains unknown. multiple gene genealogic analyses were conducted on 16 fungal isolates from diverse sites in new york state during 2008-2010. the results are consistent with the clonal dispersal of a single g. destructans genotype.201121762585
investigating 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. destructans and wns, wns transmission and maintenance, individual and site factors that contribute to the proba ...201121284732
editorial: what is in a name? a proposal to use geomycosis instead of white nose syndrome (wns) to describe bat infection caused by geomyces destructans. 201121207150
management of the panzootic white-nose syndrome through culling of bats.the probability of persistence of many species of hibernating bats in the united states is greatly reduced by an emerging infectious disease, white-nose syndrome (wns). in the united states wns is rapidly spreading and is associated with a psychrophilic fungus, geomyces destructans. wns has caused massive mortality of bats that hibernate. efforts to control the disease have been ineffective. the culling of bats in hibernacula has been proposed as a way to break the transmission cycle or slow the ...201121054529
dna-based detection of the fungal pathogen geomyces destructans in soils from bat hibernacula.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emerging disease causing unprecedented morbidity and mortality among bats in eastern north america. the disease is characterized by cutaneous infection of hibernating bats by the psychrophilic fungus geomyces destructans. detection of g. destructans in environments occupied by bats will be critical for wns surveillance, management and characterization of the fungal lifecycle. we initiated an rrna gene region-based molecular survey to characterize the distribution ...201120952799
experimental infection of bats with geomyces destructans causes white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) has caused recent catastrophic declines among multiple species of bats in eastern north america. the disease's name derives from a visually apparent white growth of the newly discovered fungus geomyces destructans on the skin (including the muzzle) of hibernating bats. colonization of skin by this fungus is associated with characteristic cutaneous lesions that are the only consistent pathological finding related to wns. however, the role of g. destructans in wns remains ...201122031324
evaporative water loss is a plausible explanation for mortality of bats from white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) has caused alarming declines of north american bat populations in the 5 years since its discovery. affected bats appear to starve during hibernation, possibly because of disruption of normal cycles of torpor and arousal. the importance of hydration state and evaporative water loss (ewl) for influencing the duration of torpor bouts in hibernating mammals recently led to "the dehydration hypothesis," that cutaneous infection of the wing membranes of bats with the fungus g ...201121742778
changes in body condition of hibernating bats support the thrifty female hypothesis and predict consequences for populations with white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) is a new disease of bats that has devastated populations in eastern north america. infection with the fungus, geomyces destructans, is thought to increase the time bats spend out of torpor during hibernation, leading to starvation. little is known about hibernation in healthy, free-ranging bats and more data are needed to help predict consequences of wns. trade-offs presumably exist between the energetic benefits and physiological/ecological costs of torpor, leading to ...201121731647
recovery of little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) from natural infection with geomyces destructans, white-nose syndrome.geomyces destructans produces the white fungal growth on the muzzle and the tacky white discoloration on wings and ears that characterize white-nose syndrome (wns) in cave-hibernating bats. to test the hypothesis that postemergent wns-infected bats recover from infection with g. destructans, 30 little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) were collected in may 2009 from a wns-affected hibernation site in new jersey. all bats were confirmed to be infected with g. destructans using a noninvasive fungal ta ...201121719826
rapid real-time pcr assay for culture and tissue identification of geomyces destructans: the etiologic agent of bat geomycosis (white nose syndrome).geomyces destructans is the etiologic agent of bat geomycosis, commonly referred to as white nose syndrome (wns). this infection has caused severe morbidity and mortality in little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) and has also spread to other bat species with significant decline in the populations. currently, g. destructans infection is identified by culture, its-pcr, and histopathology. we hypothesized that a real-time pcr assay would considerably improve detection of g. destructans in bats. the 1 ...201121706286
antifungal testing and high-throughput screening of compound library against geomyces destructans, the etiologic agent of geomycosis (wns) in bats.bats in the northeastern u.s. are affected by geomycosis caused by the fungus geomyces destructans (gd). this infection is commonly referred to as white nose syndrome (wns). over a million hibernating bats have died since the fungus was first discovered in 2006 in a cave near albany, new york. a population viability analysis conducted on little brown bats (myotis lucifugus), one of six bat species infected with gd, suggests regional extinction of this species within 20 years. the fungus gd is a ...201121399675
pan-european distribution of white-nose syndrome fungus (geomyces destructans) not associated with mass mortality.the dramatic mass mortalities amongst hibernating bats in northeastern america caused by "white nose-syndrome" (wns) continue to threaten populations of different bat species. the cold-loving fungus, geomyces destructans, is the most likely causative agent leading to extensive destruction of the skin, particularly the wing membranes. recent investigations in europe confirmed the presence of the fungus g. destructans without associated mass mortality in hibernating bats in six countries but its d ...201121556356
specific alterations in complement protein activity of little brown myotis (myotis lucifugus) hibernating in white-nose syndrome affected sites.white-nose syndrome (wns) is the most devastating condition ever reported for hibernating bats, causing widespread mortality in the northeastern united states. the syndrome is characterized by cutaneous lesions caused by a recently identified psychrophilic and keratinophylic fungus (geomyces destructans), depleted fat reserves, atypical behavior, and damage to wings; however, the proximate cause of mortality is still uncertain. to assess relative levels of immunocompetence in bats hibernating in ...201122140440
pathology in euthermic bats with white nose syndrome suggests a natural manifestation of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.white nose syndrome, caused by geomyces destructans, has killed more than 5 million cave hibernating bats in eastern north america. during hibernation, the lack of inflammatory cell recruitment at the site of fungal infection and erosion is consistent with a temperature-induced inhibition of immune cell trafficking. this immune suppression allows g. destructans to colonize and erode the skin of wings, ears and muzzle of bat hosts unchecked. yet, paradoxically, within weeks of emergence from hibe ...201223154286
in vitro investigation of a terbinafine impregnated subcutaneous implant for veterinary use.a terbinafine impregnated subcutaneous implant was evaluated to determine if drug was released into isotonic saline over the course of 6 months at two different temperatures, 37°c and 4°c. these temperatures were chosen to simulate the nonhibernating (37°c) and hibernating body (4°c) temperatures of little brown bats (myotis lucifugus). insectivorous bats of north america, including little brown bats, have been devastated by white nose syndrome, a fungal infection caused by geomyces destructans. ...201222888440
frequent arousal from hibernation linked to severity of infection and mortality in bats with white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns), an emerging infectious disease that has killed over 5.5 million hibernating bats, is named for the causative agent, a white fungus (geomyces destructans (gd)) that invades the skin of torpid bats. during hibernation, arousals to warm (euthermic) body temperatures are normal but deplete fat stores. temperature-sensitive dataloggers were attached to the backs of 504 free-ranging little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) in hibernacula located throughout the northeastern usa. ...201222745688
inoculation 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 the winter. the fungus has also been found at low levels on bats throughout europe but without mass mo ...201222493237
the panzootic white-nose syndrome: an environmentally constrained disease?white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats probably caused by a pathogenic fungus, geomyces destructans. the fungus has dispersed rapidly in the northeastern united states and canada and is presently a serious risk to hibernating bats of the mid-southern united states. our objectives were to investigate how the environmental factors of temperature and resources impact the physiology of bats and apply this to explore possible effects of the fungus g. destructans on bats. ...201222044513
histopathology confirms white-nose syndrome in bats in europe.white-nose syndrome, associated with the fungal skin infection geomycosis, caused regional population collapse in bats in north america. our results, based on histopathology, show the presence of white-nose syndrome in europe. dermatohistopathology on two bats (myotis myotis) found dead in march 2010 with geomycosis in the czech republic had characteristics resembling geomyces destructans infection in bats confirmed with white-nose syndrome in us hibernacula. in addition, a live m. myotis, biops ...201222247393
temperature-dependent growth of geomyces destructans, the fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emergent disease estimated to have killed over five million north american bats. caused by the psychrophilic fungus geomyces destructans, wns specifically affects bats during hibernation. we describe temperature-dependent growth performance and morphology for six independent isolates of g. destructans from north america and europe. thermal performance curves for all isolates displayed an intermediate peak with rapid decline in performance above the peak. optimal t ...201223029462
sociality, density-dependence and microclimates determine the persistence of populations suffering from a novel fungal disease, white-nose syndrome.disease has caused striking declines in wildlife and threatens numerous species with extinction. theory suggests that the ecology and density-dependence of transmission dynamics can determine the probability of disease-caused extinction, but few empirical studies have simultaneously examined multiple factors influencing disease impact. we show, in hibernating bats infected with geomyces destructans, that impacts of disease on solitary species were lower in smaller populations, whereas in sociall ...201222747672
clonal spread of geomyces destructans among bats, midwestern and southern united states. 201222516471
bat white-nose syndrome: a real-time taqman polymerase chain reaction test targeting the intergenic spacer region of geomyces destructans.the fungus geomyces destructans is the causative agent of white-nose syndrome (wns), a disease that has killed millions of north american hibernating bats. we describe a real-time taqman pcr test that detects dna from g. destructans by targeting a portion of the multicopy intergenic spacer region of the rrna gene complex. the test is highly sensitive, consistently detecting as little as 3.3 fg genomic dna from g. destructans. the real-time pcr test specifically amplified genomic dna from g. dest ...201322962349
white-nose syndrome: human activity in the emergence of an extirpating mycosis.in winter 2006, the bat population in howe cave, in central new york state, usa, contained a number of bats displaying an unusual white substance on their muzzles. the following year, numerous bats in four surrounding caves displayed unusual winter hibernation behavior, including day flying and entrance roosting. a number of bats were found dead and dying, and all demonstrated a white, powdery substance on their muzzles, ears, and wing membranes, which was later identified as the conidia of a pr ...201326184962
skin lesions in european hibernating bats associated with geomyces destructans, the etiologic agent of white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) has claimed the lives of millions of hibernating insectivorous bats in north america. its etiologic agent, the psychrophilic fungus geomyces destructans, causes skin lesions that are the hallmark of the disease. the fungal infection is characterized by a white powdery growth on muzzle, ears and wing membranes. while wns may threaten some species of north american bats with regional extinction, infection in hibernating bats in europe seems not to be associated with signi ...201324023927
psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungi on bats and the presence of geomyces spp. on bat wings prior to the arrival of white nose syndrome.since 2006, geomyces destructans, the causative agent of white nose syndrome (wns), has killed over 5.7 million bats in north america. the current hypothesis suggests that this novel fungus is an invasive species from europe, but little is known about the diversity within the genus geomyces and its distribution on bats in the united states. we documented the psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungal flora of hibernating bats prior to the arrival of wns using culture-based techniques. a total of 1 ...201323811520
electrolyte 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 the fungus. sodium and chloride tended to decrease as wing damage increased in severity. depletion of ...201323568916
distribution and environmental persistence of the causative agent of white-nose syndrome, geomyces destructans, in bat hibernacula of the eastern united states.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats caused by the recently described fungus geomyces destructans. first isolated in 2008, the origins of this fungus in north america and its ability to persist in the environment remain undefined. to investigate the correlation between manifestation of wns and distribution of g. destructans in the united states, we analyzed sediment samples collected from 55 bat hibernacula (caves and mines) both within and outside the known range ...201323241985
a culture-based survey of fungi in soil from bat hibernacula in the eastern united states and its implications for detection of geomyces destructans, the causal agent of bat white-nose syndrome.the recent emergence of white-nose syndrome (wns), a fungal disease causing unprecedented mortality among hibernating bats of eastern north america, has revealed a knowledge gap regarding fungal communities associated with bats and their hibernacula. we used culture-based techniques to investigate the diversity of fungi in soil samples collected from 24 bat hibernacula in the eastern united states. ribosomal rna regions (internal transcribed spacer and partial intergenic spacer) were sequenced t ...201323074174
draft genome sequences of human pathogenic fungus geomyces pannorum sensu lato and bat white nose syndrome pathogen geomyces (pseudogymnoascus) destructans.we report the draft genome sequences of geomyces pannorum sensu lato and geomyces (pseudogymnoascus) destructans. g. pannorum has a larger proteome than g. destructans, containing more proteins with ascribed enzymatic functions. this dichotomy in the genomes of related psychrophilic fungi is a valuable target for defining their distinct saprobic and pathogenic attributes.201324356829
sebaceous lipid profiling of bat integumentary tissues: quantitative analysis of free fatty acids, monoacylglycerides, squalene, and sterols.white-nose syndrome (wns) is a fungal disease caused by pseudogymnoascus destructans and is devastating north american bat populations. sebaceous lipids secreted from host integumentary tissues are implicated in the initial attachment and recognition of host tissues by pathogenic fungi. we are interested in determining if ratios of lipid classes in sebum can be used as biomarkers to diagnose severity of fungal infection in bats. to first establish lipid compositions in bats, we isolated secreted ...201324327437
nutritional capability of and substrate suitability for pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent of bat white-nose syndrome.pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent of bat white-nose syndrome, has caused nearly six million deaths in north american bats since its introduction into the united states in 2006. current research has shown that caves can harbor p. destructans even after the infected bats are removed and bats no longer visit or inhabit previously infected caves. our research focuses on elucidating reservoir requirements by investigating the nutritional capabilities of and substrate suitability requirem ...201324205191
phylogenetic evaluation of geomyces and allies reveals no close relatives of pseudogymnoascus destructans, comb. nov., in bat hibernacula of eastern north america.white-nose syndrome (wns) of bats, caused by the fungus previously known as geomyces destructans, has decimated populations of insectivorous bats in eastern north america. recent work on fungi associated with bat hibernacula uncovered a large number of species of geomyces and allies, far exceeding the number of described species. communication about these species has been hindered by the lack of a modern taxonomic evaluation, and a phylogenetic framework of the group is needed to understand the ...201324012303
diversity and bioprospecting of fungal communities associated with endemic and cold-adapted macroalgae in antarctica.we surveyed the distribution and diversity of fungi associated with eight macroalgae from antarctica and their capability to produce bioactive compounds. the collections yielded 148 fungal isolates, which were identified using molecular methods as belonging to 21 genera and 50 taxa. the most frequent taxa were geomyces species (sp.), penicillium sp. and metschnikowia australis. seven fungal isolates associated with the endemic antarctic macroalgae monostroma hariotii (chlorophyte) displayed high ...201323702515
bat flight with bad wings: is flight metabolism affected by damaged wings?infection of north american bats with the keratin-digesting fungus geomyces destructans often results in holes and ruptures of wing membranes, yet it is unknown whether flight performance and metabolism of bats are altered by such injuries. i conducted flight experiments in a circular flight arena with myotis albescens and m. nigricans individuals with an intact or ruptured trailing edge of one of the plagiopatagial membranes. in both species, individuals with damaged wings were lighter, had a h ...201323348945
pathophysiology 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, haematology and acid-base balance of hibernating little brown bats, myotis lucifugus, following experimenta ...201323720520
hibernating little brown myotis (myotis lucifugus) show variable immunological responses to white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emerging infectious disease devastating hibernating north american bat populations that is caused by the psychrophilic fungus geomyces destructans. previous histopathological analysis demonstrated little evidence of inflammatory responses in infected bats, however few studies have compared other aspects of immune function between wns-affected and unaffected bats. we collected bats from confirmed wns-affected and unaffected sites during the winter of 2008-2009 and ...201323527062
has the time come for big science in wildlife health?the consequences of wildlife emerging diseases are global and profound with increased burden on the public health system, negative impacts on the global economy, declines and extinctions of wildlife species, and subsequent loss of ecological integrity. examples of health threats to wildlife include batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes a cutaneous fungal infection of amphibians and is linked to declines of amphibians globally; and the recently discovered pseudogymnoascus (geomyces) destru ...201324136386
parallels in amphibian and bat declines from pathogenic fungi.pathogenic fungi have substantial effects on global biodiversity, and 2 emerging pathogenic species-the chytridiomycete batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes chytridiomycosis in amphibians, and the ascomycete geomyces destructans, which causes white-nose syndrome in hibernating bats-are implicated in the widespread decline of their vertebrate hosts. we synthesized current knowledge for chytridiomycosis and white-nose syndrome regarding disease emergence, environmental reservoirs, life his ...201323622255
white-nose syndrome-affected little brown myotis (myotis lucifugus) increase grooming and other active behaviors during arousals from hibernation.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emerging infectious disease of hibernating bats linked to the death of an estimated 5.7 million or more bats in the northeastern united states and canada. white-nose syndrome is caused by the cold-loving fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd), which invades the skin of the muzzles, ears, and wings of hibernating bats. previous work has shown that wns-affected bats arouse to euthermic or near euthermic temperatures during hibernation significantly more frequently ...201324502712
comparison of the white-nose syndrome agent pseudogymnoascus destructans to cave-dwelling relatives suggests reduced saprotrophic enzyme activity.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an emerging infectious mycosis that has impacted multiple species of north american bats since its initial discovery in 2006, yet the physiology of the causal agent, the psychrophilic fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans ( = geomyces destructans), is not well understood. we investigated the ability of p. destructans to secrete enzymes that could permit environmental growth or affect pathogenesis and compared enzyme activity across several pseudogymnoascus species isol ...201424466096
highly sensitive quantitative pcr for the detection and differentiation of pseudogymnoascus destructans and other pseudogymnoascus species.white-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that has decimated bat populations across eastern north america. identification of the etiologic agent, pseudogymnoascus destructans (formerly geomyces destructans), in environmental samples is essential to proposed management plans. a major challenge is the presence of closely related species, which are ubiquitous in many soils and cave sediments and often present in high abundance. we present a dual-probe real-time quantitative pcr assay capable of detec ...201424375140
potential for spread of the white-nose fungus (pseudogymnoascus destructans) in the americas: use of maxent and nichea to assure strict model transference.emerging infectious diseases can present serious threats to wildlife, even to the point of causing extinction. whitenose fungus (pseudogymnoascus destructans) is causing an epizootic in bats that is expanding rapidly, both geographically and taxonomically. little is known of the ecology and distributional potential of this intercontinental pathogen. we address this gap via ecological niche models that characterise coarse resolution niche differences between fungus populations on different contin ...201425545939
a preliminary report on the contact-independent antagonism of pseudogymnoascus destructans by rhodococcus rhodochrous strain dap96253.the recently-identified causative agent of white-nose syndrome (wns), pseudogymnoascus destructans, has been responsible for the mortality of an estimated 5.5 million north american bats since its emergence in 2006. a primary focus of the national response plan, established by multiple state, federal and tribal agencies in 2011, was the identification of biological control options for wns. in an effort to identify potential biological control options for wns, multiply induced cells of rhodococcu ...201425253442
triacylglyceride composition and fatty acyl saturation profile of a psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungal species grown at different temperatures.pseudogymnoascus destructans is a psychrophilic fungus that infects cutaneous tissues in cave dwelling bats, and it is the causal agent for white nose syndrome (wns) in north american (na) bat populations. geomyces pannorum is a related psychrotolerant keratinolytic species that is rarely a pathogen of mammals. in this study, we grew p. destructans and g. pannorum in static liquid cultures at favourable and suboptimal temperatures to: 1) determine if triacylglyceride profiles are species-specifi ...201425209638
clonal expansion of the pseudogymnoascus destructans genotype in north america is accompanied by significant variation in phenotypic expression.pseudogymnoascus destructans is the causative agent of an emerging infectious disease that threatens populations of several north american bat species. the fungal disease was first observed in 2006 and has since caused the death of nearly six million bats. the disease, commonly known as white-nose syndrome, is characterized by a cutaneous infection with p. destructans causing erosions and ulcers in the skin of nose, ears and/or wings of bats. previous studies based on sequences from eight loci h ...201425122221
molecular characterization of a heterothallic mating system in pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus causing white-nose syndrome of bats.white-nose syndrome (wns) of bats has devastated bat populations in eastern north america since its discovery in 2006. wns, caused by the fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans, has spread quickly in north america and has become one of the most severe wildlife epidemics of our time. while p. destructans is spreading rapidly in north america, nothing is known about the sexual capacity of this fungus. to gain insight into the genes involved in sexual reproduction, we characterized the mating-type loc ...201425053709
host, pathogen, and environmental characteristics predict white-nose syndrome mortality in captive little brown myotis (myotis lucifugus).an estimated 5.7 million or more bats died in north america between 2006 and 2012 due to infection with the fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd) that causes white-nose syndrome (wns) during hibernation. the behavioral and physiological changes associated with hibernation leave bats vulnerable to wns, but the persistence of bats within the contaminated regions of north america suggests that survival might vary predictably among individuals or in relation to environmental conditions. to invest ...201425409028
activation of innate immune-response genes in little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) infected with the fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans.recently bats have been associated with the emergence of diseases, both as reservoirs for several new viral diseases in humans and other animals and, in the northern americas, as hosts for a devastating fungal disease that threatens to drive several bat species to regional extinction. however, despite these catastrophic events little information is available on bat defences or how they interact with their pathogens. even less is known about the response of bats to infection during torpor or long ...201425391018
white-nose syndrome fungus: a generalist pathogen of hibernating bats.host traits and phylogeny can determine infection risk by driving pathogen transmission and its ability to infect new hosts. predicting such risks is critical when designing disease mitigation strategies, and especially as regards wildlife, where intensive management is often advocated or prevented by economic and/or practical reasons. we investigated pseudogymnoascus [geomyces] destructans infection, the cause of white-nose syndrome (wns), in relation to chiropteran ecology, behaviour and phylo ...201424820101
the resistance of a north american bat species (eptesicus fuscus) to white-nose syndrome (wns).white-nose syndrome (wns) is the primary cause of over-winter mortality for little brown (myotis lucifugus), northern (myotis septentrionalis), and tricolored (perimyotis subflavus) bats, and is due to cutaneous infection with the fungus pseudogymnoascus (geomyces) destructans (pd). cutaneous infection with p. destructans disrupts torpor patterns, which is thought to lead to a premature depletion of body fat reserve. field studies were conducted at 3 wns-affected hibernation sites to determine i ...201425437448
inhibition of pseudogymnoascus destructans growth from conidia and mycelial extension by bacterially produced volatile organic compounds.the recently identified causative agent of white-nose syndrome (wns), pseudogymnoascus destructans, has been implicated in the mortality of an estimated 5.5 million north american bats since its initial documentation in 2006 (frick et al. in science 329:679-682, 2010). in an effort to identify potential biological and chemical control options for wns, 6 previously described bacterially produced volatile organic compounds (vocs) were screened for anti-p. destructans activity. the compounds includ ...201424190516
mycobiome of the bat white nose syndrome affected caves and mines reveals diversity of fungi and local adaptation by the fungal pathogen pseudogymnoascus (geomyces) destructans.current investigations of bat white nose syndrome (wns) and the causative fungus pseudogymnoascus (geomyces) destructans (pd) are intensely focused on the reasons for the appearance of the disease in the northeast and its rapid spread in the us and canada. urgent steps are still needed for the mitigation or control of pd to save bats. we hypothesized that a focus on fungal community would advance the understanding of ecology and ecosystem processes that are crucial in the disease transmission cy ...201425264864
nonlethal screening of bat-wing skin with the use of ultraviolet fluorescence to detect lesions indicative of white-nose syndrome.definitive diagnosis of the bat disease white-nose syndrome (wns) requires histologic analysis to identify the cutaneous erosions caused by the fungal pathogen pseudogymnoascus [formerly geomyces] destructans (pd). gross visual inspection does not distinguish bats with or without wns, and no nonlethal, on-site, preliminary screening methods are available for wns in bats. we demonstrate that long-wave ultraviolet (uv) light (wavelength 366-385 nm) elicits a distinct orange-yellow fluorescence in ...201424854396
white-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host.the physiological effects of white-nose syndrome (wns) in hibernating bats and ultimate causes of mortality from infection with pseudogymnoascus (formerly geomyces) destructans are not fully understood. increased frequency of arousal from torpor described among hibernating bats with late-stage wns is thought to accelerate depletion of fat reserves, but the physiological mechanisms that lead to these alterations in hibernation behavior have not been elucidated. we used the doubly labeled water (d ...201425487871
white-nose syndrome fungus introduced from europe to north america.the investigation of factors underlying the emergence of fungal diseases in wildlife has gained significance as a consequence of drastic declines in amphibians, where the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has caused the greatest disease-driven loss of biodiversity ever documented [1]. identification of the causative agent and its origin (native versus introduced) is a crucial step in understanding and controlling a disease [2]. whereas genetic studies on the origin of b. dendrobatidis have i ...201525784035
the fungus trichophyton redellii sp. nov. causes skin infections that resemble white-nose syndrome of hibernating bats.before the discovery of white-nose syndrome (wns), a fungal disease caused by pseudogymnoascus destructans, there were no reports of fungal skin infections in bats during hibernation. in 2011, bats with grossly visible fungal skin infections similar in appearance to wns were reported from multiple sites in wisconsin, us, a state outside the known range of p. destructans and wns at that time. tape impressions or swab samples were collected from affected areas of skin from bats with these fungal i ...201525375940
pseudogymnoascus destructans: evidence of virulent skin invasion for bats under natural conditions, europe.while pseudogymnoascus destructans has been responsible for mass bat mortalities from white-nose syndrome (wns) in north america, its virulence in europe has been questioned. to shed the light on the issue of host-pathogen interaction between european bats and p. destructans, we examined seventeen bats emerging from the fungus-positive underground hibernacula in the czech republic during early spring 2013. dual wing-membrane biopsies were taken from barbastella barbastellus (1), myotis daubenton ...201525268034
long-term persistence of pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome, in the absence of bats.wildlife diseases have been implicated in the declines and extinctions of several species. the ability of a pathogen to persist outside its host, existing as an "environmental reservoir", can exacerbate the impact of a disease and increase the likelihood of host extinction. pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome in bats, has been found in cave soil during the summer when hibernating bats had likely been absent for several months. however, whether the pa ...201525260801
novel trichoderma polysporum strain for the biocontrol of pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal etiologic agent of bat white nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns), an emerging disease of hibernating bats, has rapidly spread across eastern north america killing millions of bats. pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd), the sole etiologic agent of wns, is widespread and persistent in bat hibernacula. control of pd in the affected sites is urgently needed to break the transmission cycle while minimizing any adverse impact on the native organisms. we isolated a novel strain of trichoderma polysporum (tp) from one of the caves at the epicen ...201526509269
evolution of chemical diversity in a group of non-reduced polyketide gene clusters: using phylogenetics to inform the search for novel fungal natural products.fungal polyketides are a diverse class of natural products, or secondary metabolites (sms), with a wide range of bioactivities often associated with toxicity. here, we focus on a group of non-reducing polyketide synthases (nr-pkss) in the fungal phylum ascomycota that lack a thioesterase domain for product release, group v. although widespread in ascomycete taxa, this group of nr-pkss is notably absent in the mycotoxigenic genus fusarium and, surprisingly, found in genera not known for their sec ...201526378577
efficacy of visual surveys for white-nose syndrome at bat hibernacula.white-nose syndrome (wns) is an epizootic disease in hibernating bats caused by the fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans. surveillance for p. destructans at bat hibernacula consists primarily of visual surveys of bats, collection of potentially infected bats, and submission of these bats for laboratory testing. cryptic infections (bats that are infected but display no visual signs of fungus) could lead to the mischaracterization of the infection status of a site and the inadvertent spread of p. d ...201526197236
antibodies to pseudogymnoascus destructans are not sufficient for protection against white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome (wns) is a fungal disease caused by pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd) that affects bats during hibernation. although millions of bats have died from wns in north america, mass mortality has not been observed among european bats infected by the fungus, leading to the suggestion that bats in europe are immune. we tested the hypothesis that an antibody-mediated immune response can provide protection against wns by quantifying antibodies reactive to pd in blood samples from seven ...201526078857
sex and hibernaculum temperature predict survivorship in white-nose syndrome affected little brown myotis (myotis lucifugus).white-nose syndrome (wns), an emerging infectious disease caused by the novel fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans, has devastated north american bat populations since its discovery in 2006. the little brown myotis, myotis lucifugus, has been especially affected. the goal of this 2-year captive study was to determine the impact of hibernacula temperature and sex on wns survivorship in little brown myotis that displayed visible fungal infection when collected from affected hibernacula. in study 1, ...201526064604
conspecific disturbance contributes to altered hibernation patterns in bats with white-nose syndrome.the emerging wildlife disease white-nose syndrome (wns) affects both physiology and behaviour of hibernating bats. infection with the fungal pathogen pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd), the first pathogen known to target torpid animals, causes an increase in arousal frequency during hibernation, and therefore premature depletion of energy stores. infected bats also show a dramatic decrease in clustering behaviour over the winter. to investigate the interaction between disease progression and torp ...201525484358
will reduced host connectivity curb the spread of a devastating epidemic?the white-nose syndrome (wns), caused by the fungal pathogen pseudogymnoascus destructans, is threatening the cave-dwelling bat fauna of north america by killing individuals by the thousands in hibernacula each winter since its appearance in new york state less than ten years ago. epidemiological models predict that wns will reach the western coast of the usa by 2035, potentially eliminating most populations of susceptible bat species in its path (frick et al. 2015; o'regan et al. 2015). these m ...201526769309
correction for o'donoghue et al., destructin-1 is a collagen-degrading endopeptidase secreted by pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome. 201526015578
invasion dynamics of white-nose syndrome fungus, midwestern united states, 2012-2014.white-nose syndrome has devastated bat populations in eastern north america. in midwestern united states, prevalence increased quickly in the first year of invasion (2012-13) but with low population declines. in the second year (2013-14), environmental contamination led to earlier infection and high population declines. interventions must be implemented before or soon after fungal invasion to prevent population collapse.201525989230
wax ester analysis of bats suffering from white nose syndrome in europe.the composition of wax esters (we) in the fur of adult greater mouse-eared bats (myotis myotis), either healthy or suffering from white nose syndrome (wns) caused by the psychrophilic fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans, was investigated by high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis in the positive ion mode. profiling of lipid classes showed that we are the most abundant lipid class, followed by cholesterol esters, and other lipid classes, e.g., triacylglycerols and phospholipids. we abundance i ...201525975369
first confirmation of pseudogymnoascus destructans in british bats and hibernacula.white-nose syndrome (wns) is a fatal fungal infection of bats in north america caused by pseudogymnoascus destructans. p. destructans has been confirmed in continental europe but not associated with mass mortality. its presence in great britain was unknown. opportunistic sampling of bats in gb began during the winter of 2009. any dead bats or samples from live bats with visible fungal growths were submitted to the animal health and veterinary laboratories agency for culture. active surveillance ...201525968064
destructin-1 is a collagen-degrading endopeptidase secreted by pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome.pseudogymnoascus destructans is the causative agent of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has caused the deaths of millions of bats in north america. this psychrophilic fungus proliferates at low temperatures and targets hibernating bats, resulting in their premature arousal from stupor with catastrophic consequences. despite the impact of white-nose syndrome, little is known about the fungus itself or how it infects its mammalian host. p. destructans is not amenable to genetic manipulation, an ...201525944934
interruption to cutaneous gas exchange is not a likely mechanism of wns-associated death in bats.pseudogymnoascus destructans is the causative fungal agent of white-nose syndrome (wns), an emerging fungal-borne epizootic. wns is responsible for a catastrophic decline of hibernating bats in north america, yet we have limited understanding of the physiological interactions between pathogen and host. pseudogymnoascus destructans severely damages wings and tail membranes, by causing dryness that leads to whole sections crumbling off. four possible mechanisms have been proposed by which infectio ...201525944919
a case study of bats and white-nose syndrome demonstrating how to model population viability with evolutionary effects.ecological factors generally affect population viability on rapid time scales. traditional population viability analyses (pva) therefore focus on alleviating ecological pressures, discounting potential evolutionary impacts on individual phenotypes. recent studies of evolutionary rescue (er) focus on cases in which severe, environmentally induced population bottlenecks trigger a rapid evolutionary response that can potentially reverse demographic threats. er models have focused on shifting geneti ...201525808080
isolation and identification of an extracellular subtilisin-like serine protease secreted by the bat pathogen pseudogymnoascus destructans.white nose syndrome (wns) is a cutaneous fungal disease of bats. wns is responsible for unprecedented mortalities in north american cave bat populations. there have been few descriptions of enzyme activities that may function in wns host/pathogen interactions, while no study has isolated and described secreted proteases. to address the hypothesis that pseudogymnoascus destructans secretes extracellular proteases that function in wing necrosis during wns infection, the object of this study was to ...201525785714
direct detection of fungal siderophores on bats with white-nose syndrome via fluorescence microscopy-guided ambient ionization mass spectrometry.white-nose syndrome (wns) caused by the pathogenic fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans is decimating the populations of several hibernating north american bat species. little is known about the molecular interplay between pathogen and host in this disease. fluorescence microscopy ambient ionization mass spectrometry was used to generate metabolic profiles from the wings of both healthy and diseased bats of the genus myotis. fungal siderophores, molecules that scavenge iron from the environment, ...201525781976
molecular detection of the causative agent of white-nose syndrome on rafinesque's big-eared bats (corynorhinus rafinesquii) and two species of migratory bats in the southeastern usa.pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent of white-nose syndrome (wns), is responsible for widespread mortality of hibernating bats across eastern north america. to document p. destructans exposure and infections on bats active during winter in the southeastern us, we collected epidermal swabs from bats captured during winters 2012-13 and 2013-14 in mist nets set outside of hibernacula in tennessee. epidermal swab samples were collected from eight rafinesque's big-eared bats (corynorhinus r ...201525647588
modeling the environmental growth of pseudogymnoascus destructans and its impact on the white-nose syndrome epidemic.white-nose syndrome (wns) has had a devastating effect on north american bat populations. the causal agent of wns is the fungal pathogen, pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd), which has been shown to persist in caves after the eradication of host populations. as nonpathogenic pseudogymnoascus spp. display saprophytic growth and are among the most commonly isolated fungi from caves, we examined whether pd could grow in cave sediments and the contribution such growth could have to wns disease progres ...201525588008
effect of trans, trans-farnesol on pseudogymnoascus destructans and several closely related species.bat white-nose syndrome, caused by the psychrophilic fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans, has dramatically reduced the populations of many hibernating north american bat species. the search for effective biological control agents targeting p. destructans is of great importance. we report that the sesquiterpene trans, trans-farnesol, which is also a candida albicans quorum sensing compound, prevented in vitro conidial germination for at least 14 days and inhibited growth of preexisting hyphae of ...201526162644
the white-nose syndrome transcriptome: activation of anti-fungal host responses in wing tissue of hibernating little brown myotis.white-nose syndrome (wns) in north american bats is caused by an invasive cutaneous infection by the psychrophilic fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd). we compared transcriptome-wide changes in gene expression using rna-seq on wing skin tissue from hibernating little brown myotis (myotis lucifugus) with wns to bats without pd exposure. we found that wns caused significant changes in gene expression in hibernating bats including pathways involved in inflammation, wound healing, and metabolis ...201526426272
bacteria isolated from bats inhibit the growth of pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome.emerging infectious diseases are a key threat to wildlife. several fungal skin pathogens have recently emerged and caused widespread mortality in several vertebrate groups, including amphibians, bats, rattlesnakes and humans. white-nose syndrome, caused by the fungal skin pathogen pseudogymnoascus destructans, threatens several hibernating bat species with extinction and there are few effective treatment strategies. the skin microbiome is increasingly understood to play a large role in determini ...201525853558
development of an agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for the cold-adapted fungi pseudogymnoascus destructans and p. pannorum.the mechanisms of cold adaptation by fungi remain unknown. this topic is of high interest due to the emergence of white-nose syndrome (wns), a skin infection of hibernating bats caused by pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd). recent studies indicated that apart from pd, there is an abundance of other pseudogymnoascus species in the hibernacula soil. we developed an agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (atmt) system for pd and a related fungus pseudogymnoascus pannorum (pp) to advance e ...201526051491
secondary metabolite arsenal of an opportunistic pathogenic fungus.aspergillus fumigatus is a versatile fungus able to successfully exploit diverse environments from mammalian lungs to agricultural waste products. among its many fitness attributes are dozens of genetic loci containing biosynthetic gene clusters (bgcs) producing bioactive small molecules (often referred to as secondary metabolites or natural products) that provide growth advantages to the fungus dependent on environment. here we summarize the current knowledge of these bgcs-18 of which can be na ...201628080993
ectomycota associated with arthropods from bat hibernacula in eastern canada, with particular reference to pseudogymnoasucs destructans.the introduction of pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd) to north america, agent of white-nose syndrome in hibernating bats, has increased interest in fungi from underground habitats. while bats are assumed to be the main vector transmitting pd cave-to-cave, the role of other fauna is unexplored. we documented the fungi associated with over-wintering arthropods in pd-positive hibernacula, including sites where bats had been recently extirpated or near-extirpated, to determine if arthropods carried ...201627110827
effects of wind energy generation and white-nose syndrome on the viability of the indiana bat.wind energy generation holds the potential to adversely affect wildlife populations. species-wide effects are difficult to study and few, if any, studies examine effects of wind energy generation on any species across its entire range. one species that may be affected by wind energy generation is the endangered indiana bat (myotis sodalis), which is found in the eastern and midwestern united states. in addition to mortality from wind energy generation, the species also faces range-wide threats f ...201628028486
using a novel partitivirus in pseudogymnoascus destructans to understand the epidemiology of white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome is one of the most lethal wildlife diseases, killing over 5 million north american bats since it was first reported in 2006. the causal agent of the disease is a psychrophilic filamentous fungus, pseudogymnoascus destructans. the fungus is widely distributed in north america and europe and has recently been found in some parts of asia, but interestingly, no mass mortality is observed in european or asian bats. here we report a novel double-stranded rna virus found in north am ...201628027325
molecular detection of pseudogymnoascus destructans (ascomycota: pseudeurotiaceae) and unidentified fungal dermatitides on big brown bats ( eptesicus fuscus ) overwintering inside buildings in canada.big brown bats ( eptesicus fuscus ) overwintering outside the underground environment are not believed to play a role in the epidemiology of the disease white-nose syndrome (wns), caused by the fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans (pd). using quantitative real-time pcr (qpcr), we provide molecular evidence for pd on four big brown bats overwintering in heated buildings in new brunswick, canada. two of the affected individuals also had very mild, focal, pustular, fungal dermatitis identified micro ...201627458830
detection of pseudogymnoascus destructans on free-flying male bats captured during summer in the southeastern usa.pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent of white-nose syndrome (wns), is commonly found on bats captured both inside and outside caves during hibernation, a time when bats are most vulnerable to infection. it has not been documented in the southeast us on bats captured outside caves or on the landscape in summer. we collected 136 skin swabs from 10 species of bats captured at 20 sites on the tennessee side of great smoky mountains national park, 12 may-16 august 2015. three swabs were fou ...201627434413
use of multiple sequencing technologies to produce a high-quality genome of the fungus pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of bat white-nose syndrome.white-nose syndrome has recently emerged as one of the most devastating wildlife diseases recorded, causing widespread mortality in numerous bat species throughout eastern north america. here, we present an improved reference genome of the fungal pathogen pseudogymnoascus destructans for use in comparative genomic studies.201627365344
energetic benefits of enhanced summer roosting habitat for little brown bats (myotis lucifugus) recovering from white-nose syndrome.habitat modification can improve outcomes for imperilled wildlife. insectivorous bats in north america face a range of conservation threats, including habitat loss and white-nose syndrome (wns). even healthy bats face energetic constraints during spring, but enhancement of roosting habitat could reduce energetic costs, increase survival and enhance recovery from wns. we tested the potential of artificial heating of bat roosts as a management tool for threatened bat populations. we predicted that ...201627293749
corrigendum: white-nose syndrome without borders: pseudogymnoascus destructans infection tolerated in europe and palearctic asia but not in north america. 201627198573
environment, 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 simple but nonlinear interactions between fungal growth and bat energetics result in decreased survival ...201627152322
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