scholarly journals A Culture-Based ID of Micromycetes on the Wing Membranes of Greater Mouse-Eared Bats (Myotis myotis) from the “Nietoperek” Site (Poland)

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafał Ogórek ◽  
Klaudia Kurczaba ◽  
Magdalena Cal ◽  
Grzegorz Apoznański ◽  
Tomasz Kokurewicz
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Physiological Saline ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Pathogenic Potential ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Myotis Myotis ◽  
Spring Emergence

Bats play important functions in ecosystems and many of them are threatened with extinction. Thus, the monitoring of the health status and prevention of diseases seem to be important aspects of welfare and conservation of these mammals. The main goal of the study was the identification of culturable fungal species colonizing the wing membranes of female greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) during spring emergence from the “Nietoperek” underground hibernation site by the use of genetic and phenotypic analyses. The study site is situated in Western Poland (52°25′ N, 15°32′ E) and is ranked within the top 10 largest hibernation sites in the European Union. The number of hibernating bats in the winter exceeds 39,000 individuals of 12 species, with M. myotis being the most common one. The wing membranes of M. myotis were sampled using sterile swabs wetted in physiological saline (0.85% NaCl). Potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates were incubated in the dark at 8, 24 and 36 ± 1 °C for 3 up to 42 days. All fungi isolated from the surface of wing membranes were assigned to 17 distinct fungal isolates belonging to 17 fungal species. Penicillium chrysogenum was the most frequently isolated species. Some of these fungal species might have a pathogenic potential for bats and other mammals. However, taking into account habitat preferences and the life cycle of bats, it can be assumed that some fungi were accidentally obtained from the surface of vegetation during early spring activity. Moreover, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd)—the causative agent of the White Nose Syndrome (WNS)—was not found during testing, despite it was found very often in M. myotis during previous studies in this same location.

Prevalence and phenology of white-nose syndrome fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans in bats from Poland

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konrad Sachanowicz ◽  
Arkadiusz Stępień ◽  
Mateusz Ciechanowski
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Mass Mortality ◽  
Parasitic Fungus ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Southern Poland ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Myotis Myotis ◽  
Myotis Daubentonii ◽  
Fungal Dna

AbstractPseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), a parasitic fungus (being responsible for a disease known as white-nose syndrome, WNS) that caused mass mortality of cave-dwelling, hibernating bats in North America, appears to be native of Europe, where it also occurs on wintering bats, but no similar outbreaks of WNS have been recorded. Herein, we provide the first account on prevalence and phenology of P. destructans in Poland. Bats were counted once per month, from October or January to May (2010-2013), in an abandoned ore mine in southern Poland. Presence of P. destructans in two samples was confirmed by sequencing of isolated fungal DNA. Observations of phenotypically identical mycosis on bats hibernating at this site in March 2006 are likely to be the first known records of P. destructans from Poland. All Pd-suspected individuals were Myotis myotis with an exception of one Myotis daubentonii. The first Pd-suspected bats were noted in mid-February, but their number was the highest in March, what overlapped with maximum numbers of hibernating M. myotis. The prevalence in March was 7%–27% of M. myotis individuals. No mass mortality of bats was observed in the mine, with only three dead individuals found in the hibernaculum which hosted up to 130 bats, representing 6–7 species.

scholarly journals White-nose syndrome restructures bat skin microbiomes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Ange-Stark ◽  
Tina L. Cheng ◽  
Joseph R. Hoyt ◽  
Kate E. Langwig ◽  
Katy L. Parise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Species ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Skin Microbiome ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Pathogen Invasion ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Bacterial Microbiome ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractThe skin microbiome is an essential line of host defense against pathogens, yet our understanding of microbial communities and how they change when hosts become infected is limited. We investigated skin microbial composition in three North American bat species (Myotis lucifugus,Eptesicus fuscus, andPerimyotis subflavus) that have been impacted by the infectious disease, white-nose syndrome, caused by an invasive fungal pathogen,Pseudogymnoascus destructans. We compared bacterial and fungal composition from 154 skin swab samples and 70 environmental samples using a targeted 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon approach. We found that forM. lucifugus, a species that experiences high mortality from white-nose syndrome, bacterial microbiome diversity was dramatically lower whenP. destructansis present. Key bacterial families—including those potentially involved in pathogen defense—significantly differed in abundance in bats infected withP. destructanscompared to uninfected bats. However, skin bacterial diversity was not lower inE. fuscusorP. subflavuswhenP. destructanswas present, despite populations of the latter species declining sharply from white-nose syndrome. The fungal species present on bats substantially overlapped with the fungal taxa present in the environment at the site where the bat was sampled, but fungal community composition was unaffected by the presence ofP. destructansfor any of the three bat species. This species-specific alteration in bat skin bacterial microbiomes after pathogen invasion may suggest a mechanism for the severity of WNS inM. lucifugus, but not for other bat species impacted by white-nose syndrome.

scholarly journals Sex and hibernaculum temperature predict survivorship in white-nose syndrome affected little brown myotis ( Myotis lucifugus )

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 140470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. Grieneisen ◽  
Sarah A. Brownlee-Bouboulis ◽  
Joseph S. Johnson ◽  
DeeAnn M. Reeder
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Myotis Myotis ◽  
The Impact

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, we found that WNS-affected male bats had increased survival over females and that bats housed at a colder temperature survived longer than those housed at warmer temperatures. In study 2, we found that WNS-affected bats housed at a colder temperature fared worse than unaffected bats. Our results demonstrate that WNS mortality varies among individuals, and that colder hibernacula are more favourable for survival. They also suggest that female bats may be more negatively affected by WNS than male bats, which has important implications for the long-term survival of the little brown myotis in eastern North America.

Şura Mare cave (Romania) - the most important known hibernating roost for Pipistrellus pygmaeus Leach, 1825 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 329-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dumitru Murariu ◽  
Victor Gheorghiu
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Rhinolophus Ferrumequinum ◽  
Pipistrellus Pipistrellus ◽  
Myotis Myotis ◽  
European Union Legislation ◽  
A Priority ◽  
Prevalent Species

Şura Mare cave (Romania) - the most important known hibernating roost for Pipistrellus pygmaeus Leach, 1825 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) The Sura Mare cave from Romania is one of the largest roost for hibernating colonies of bats with more than 40,000 individuals. Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus are prevalent species with more than 34,000 individuals in mixed colonies. Other 6 bat species are less represented (e.g. Rhinolophus ferrumequinum only 500 individuals) but Miniopterus schreibersii's colony counts 3,500 individuals. From the total of 8 identified bat species, 5 are a priority according to the European Union legislation: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Myotis myotis, M. oxygnathus, Barbastella barbastellus and Miniopterus schreibersii.

scholarly journals Fire, land cover, and temperature drivers of bat activity in winter

Fire Ecology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo H. Jorge ◽  
Sara E. Sweeten ◽  
Michael C. True ◽  
Samuel R. Freeze ◽  
Michael J. Cherry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Pinus Palustris ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Dormant Season ◽  
Wind Energy Development

Abstract Background Understanding the effects of disturbance events, land cover, and weather on wildlife activity is fundamental to wildlife management. Currently, in North America, bats are of high conservation concern due to white-nose syndrome and wind-energy development impact, but the role of fire as a potential additional stressor has received less focus. Although limited, the vast majority of research on bats and fire in the southeastern United States has been conducted during the growing season, thereby creating data gaps for bats in the region relative to overwintering conditions, particularly for non-hibernating species. The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystem is an archetypal fire-mediated ecosystem that has been the focus of landscape-level restoration in the Southeast. Although historically fires predominately occurred during the growing season in these systems, dormant-season fire is more widely utilized for easier application and control as a means of habitat management in the region. To assess the impacts of fire and environmental factors on bat activity on Camp Blanding Joint Training Center (CB) in northern Florida, USA, we deployed 34 acoustic detectors across CB and recorded data from 26 February to 3 April 2019, and from 10 December 2019 to 14 January 2020. Results We identified eight bat species native to the region as present at CB. Bat activity was related to the proximity of mesic habitats as well as the presence of pine or deciduous forest types, depending on species morphology (i.e., body size, wing-loading, and echolocation call frequency). Activity for all bat species was influenced positively by either time since fire or mean fire return interval. Conclusion Overall, our results suggested that fire use provides a diverse landscape pattern at CB that maintains mesic, deciduous habitat within the larger pine forest matrix, thereby supporting the diverse bat community at CB during the dormant season and early spring.

scholarly journals Pseudogymnoascus destructans growth in wood, soil and guano substrates

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Urbina ◽  
Tara Chestnut ◽  
Jennifer M. Allen ◽  
Taal Levi
Keyword(s):  
Dna Extraction ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Pathogen Persistence ◽  
Tenfold Increase ◽  
And Control

AbstractUnderstanding how a pathogen can grow on different substrates and how this growth impacts its dispersal are critical to understanding the risks and control of emerging infectious diseases. Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in many bat species and can persist in, and transmit from, the environment. We experimentally evaluated Pd growth on common substrates to better understand mechanisms of pathogen persistence, transmission and viability. We inoculated autoclaved guano, fresh guano, soil, and wood with live Pd fungus and evaluated (1) whether Pd grows or persists on each (2) if spores of the fungus remain viable 4 months after inoculation on each substrate, and (3) whether detection and quantitation of Pd on swabs is sensitive to the choice to two commonly used DNA extraction kits. After inoculating each substrate with 460,000 Pd spores, we collected ~ 0.20 g of guano and soil, and swabs from wood every 16 days for 64 days to quantify pathogen load through time using real-time qPCR. We detected Pd on all substrates over the course of the experiment. We observed a tenfold increase in pathogen loads on autoclaved guano and persistence but not growth in fresh guano. Pathogen loads increased marginally on wood but declined ~ 60-fold in soil. After four months, apparently viable spores were harvested from all substrates but germination did not occur from fresh guano. We additionally found that detection and quantitation of Pd from swabs of wood surfaces is sensitive to the DNA extraction method. The commonly used PrepMan Ultra Reagent protocol yielded substantially less DNA than did the QIAGEN DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit. Notably the PrepMan Ultra Reagent failed to detect Pd in many wood swabs that were detected by QIAGEN and were subsequently found to contain substantial live conidia. Our results indicate that Pd can persist or even grow on common environmental substrates with results dependent on whether microbial competitors have been eliminated. Although we observed clear rapid declines in Pd on soil, viable spores were harvested four months after inoculation. These results suggest that environmental substrates and guano can in general serve as infectious environmental reservoirs due to long-term persistence, and even growth, of live Pd. This should inform management interventions to sanitize or modify structures to reduce transmission risk as well early detection rapid response (EDRR) planning.

scholarly journals Bacteria Isolated from Bats Inhibit the Growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Causative Agent of White-Nose Syndrome

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e0121329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Hoyt ◽  
Tina L. Cheng ◽  
Kate E. Langwig ◽  
Mallory M. Hee ◽  
Winifred F. Frick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causative Agent ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
White Nose Syndrome

scholarly journals Hepatic lipid signatures of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) at early stages of white-nose syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan L. Pannkuk ◽  
Nicole A. S.-Y. Dorville ◽  
Yvonne A. Dzal ◽  
Quinn E. Fletcher ◽  
Kaleigh J. O. Norquay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Fatty Acid Distribution ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Hepatic Lipid ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Little Brown Bats

AbstractWhite-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emergent wildlife fungal disease of cave-dwelling, hibernating bats that has led to unprecedented mortalities throughout North America. A primary factor in WNS-associated bat mortality includes increased arousals from torpor and premature fat depletion during winter months. Details of species and sex-specific changes in lipid metabolism during WNS are poorly understood and may play an important role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Given the likely role of fat metabolism in WNS and the fact that the liver plays a crucial role in fatty acid distribution and lipid storage, we assessed hepatic lipid signatures of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) at an early stage of infection with the etiological agent, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Differences in lipid profiles were detected at the species and sex level in the sham-inoculated treatment, most strikingly in higher hepatic triacylglyceride (TG) levels in E. fuscus females compared to males. Interestingly, several dominant TGs (storage lipids) decreased dramatically after Pd infection in both female M. lucifugus and E. fuscus. Increases in hepatic glycerophospholipid (structural lipid) levels were only observed in M. lucifugus, including two phosphatidylcholines (PC [32:1], PC [42:6]) and one phosphatidylglycerol (PG [34:1]). These results suggest that even at early stages of WNS, changes in hepatic lipid mobilization may occur and be species and sex specific. As pre-hibernation lipid reserves may aid in bat persistence and survival during WNS, these early perturbations to lipid metabolism could have important implications for management responses that aid in pre-hibernation fat storage.

Characterization of PdCP1, a serine carboxypeptidase from Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent of White-nose Syndrome

2018 ◽  
Vol 399 (12) ◽  
pp. 1375-1388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chapman Beekman ◽  
Zhenze Jiang ◽  
Brian M. Suzuki ◽  
Jonathan M. Palmer ◽  
Daniel L. Lindner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Hydrolytic Enzymes ◽  
Carboxyl Terminus ◽  
Serine Carboxypeptidase ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Fluorescent Substrate ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Species Comparisons ◽  
Bona Fide ◽  
Multiple Species

Abstract Pseudogymnoascus destructans is a pathogenic fungus responsible for White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease afflicting multiple species of North American bats. Pseudogymnoascus destructans infects susceptible bats during hibernation, invading dermal tissue and causing extensive tissue damage. In contrast, other Pseudogymnoascus species are non-pathogenic and cross-species comparisons may therefore reveal factors that contribute to virulence. In this study, we compared the secretome of P. destructans with that from several closely related Pseudogymnoascus species. A diverse set of hydrolytic enzymes were identified, including a putative serine peptidase, PdCP1, that was unique to the P. destructans secretome. A recombinant form of PdCP1 was purified and substrate preference determined using a multiplexed-substrate profiling method based on enzymatic degradation of a synthetic peptide library and analysis by mass spectrometry. Most peptide substrates were sequentially truncated from the carboxyl-terminus revealing that this enzyme is a bona fide carboxypeptidase. Peptides with arginine located close to the carboxyl-terminus were rapidly cleaved, and a fluorescent substrate containing arginine was therefore used to characterize PdCP1 activity and to screen a selection of peptidase inhibitors. Antipain and leupeptin were found to be the most potent inhibitors of PdCP1 activity.

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