Pseudogymnoascus destructans: Evidence of Virulent Skin Invasion for Bats Under Natural Conditions, Europe ...

• Main Authors: Bandouchova, H., Bartonicka, T., Berkova, H., Brichta, J., Cerny, J., Kovacova, V., Kolarik, M., Köllner, B., Kulich, P., Martínková, N., Rehak, Z., Turner, G. G., Zukal, J., Pikula, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2015
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Mammalia; Chiroptera; Chordata; Animalia; bats; bat; Barbastella barbastellus; Myotis nattereri
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13526544; https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.13526544

(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) 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 daubentonii (1), Myotis emarginatus (1), Myotis myotis (11), Myotis nattereri (1) and Plecotus auritus (2) for standard histopathology and transmission electron microscopy. Non-lethal collection of suspected WNS lesions was guided by trans-illumination of the wing membranes with ultraviolet light. All bats selected for the present study were PCR-positive for P. destructans and showed microscopic findings consistent with the histopathological criteria for WNS diagnosis. ...