A Palearctic view of a bat fungal disease.

Whiting-Fawcett, F ORCID: 0000-0003-0187-2452, Blomberg, AS ORCID: 0000-0002-6754-4948, Troitsky, T ORCID: 0000-0001-8394-6229, Meierhofer, MB ORCID: 0000-0003-2384-1999, Field, KA ORCID: 0000-0001-7417-4386, Puechmaille, SJ ORCID: 0000-0001-9517-5775 and Lilley, TM ORCID: 0000-0001-5864-4958 (2024) A Palearctic view of a bat fungal disease. Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology. e14265.

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Abstract

The fungal infection causing white-nose disease in hibernating bats in North America has resulted in dramatic population declines of affected species, since the introduction of the causative agent Pseudogymnoascus destructans. The fungus is native to the Palearctic, where it also infects several bat species, yet rarely causes severe pathology or the death of the host. Pseudogymnoascus destructans infects bats during hibernation by invading and digesting the skin tissue, resulting in the disruption of torpor patterns and consequent emaciation. Relations among pathogen, host, and environment are complex, and individuals, populations, and species respond to the fungal pathogen in different ways. For example, the Nearctic Myotis lucifugus responds to infection by mounting a robust immune response, leading to immunopathology often contributing to mortality. In contrast, the Palearctic M. myotis shows no significant immunological response to infection. This lack of a strong response, resulting from the long coevolution between the hosts and the pathogen in the pathogen's native range, likely contributes to survival in tolerant species. After more than 15 years since the initial introduction of the fungus to North America, some of the affected populations are showing signs of recovery, suggesting that the fungus, hosts, or both are undergoing processes that may eventually lead to coexistence. The suggested or implemented management methods of the disease in North America have encompassed, for example, the use of probiotics and fungicides, vaccinations, and modifying the environmental conditions of the hibernation sites to limit the growth of the pathogen, intensity of infection, or the hosts' responses to it. Based on current knowledge from Eurasia, policy makers and conservation managers should refrain from disrupting the ongoing evolutionary processes and adopt a holistic approach to managing the epizootic.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	bats, coevolución, coevolution, conservación de vida silvestre, disease management, enfermedad de vida silvestre, fungal infection, infección fúngica, manejo de enfermedades, murciélagos, síndrome de nariz blanca, white‐nose syndrome, wildlife conservation, wildlife disease
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2024 15:03
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2024 15:03
DOI:	10.1111/cobi.14265
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14265
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3180629