Impact of White-Nose Syndrome

Cara N. Wilder, Ph.D.

Photo provided by Dr. Winkler and

Dr. Sikes, CDC

Bats are an essential part of our ecosystem, providing valuable services including insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal for countless plant species. In the United States, each of the 45 indigenous bat species are insectivorous, predating on nocturnal insects that are often very damaging to commercial agriculture^1-4. For example, a single colony of big brown bats has been estimated to consume as many as 1.3 million agricultural pests yearly, significantly contributing to the disruption of insect population cycles and the preservation of commercial crops⁵. In fact, scientists throughout the United States estimate that bats are worth at least $3.7-$53 billion per annum in reduced pesticide use and crop damage^4,6.

Regrettably, bat populations throughout the world are in rapid decline due to the emergence and spread of Geomyces destructans. This fungal pathogen, which causes a fungal skin infection termed white-nose syndrome (WNS), has devastated populations of cave-hibernating bats throughout North America, resulting in bat declines exceeding 75%^7,8. Since its initial documentation in 2006, WNS is estimated to have killed over 6 million bats⁷.

Presently, numerous state and federal agencies, tribes, organizations, and individual researchers are working toward further understanding the dynamics and transmission of this G. destructans in the hopes of finding a novel method to prevent the further spread of this devastating disease. In an effort to aid research efforts related to WNS, ATCC now offers the fully-sequenced G. destructans, strain 20631-21, deposited by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, and the associated genomic DNA. Sequencing for this strain has also been published by The Broad Institute.

Help save our bats by getting started on your research today!

• ATCC^® MYA-4855™ -- Geomyces destructans strain 20631-21
• ATCC^® MYA-4855D™ -- Genomic DNA from Geomyces destructans strain 20631-21

Register to view the ATCC Webinar featuring Dr. David, Blehert, head of diagnostic microbiology at the U.S. Geological Survey – National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC; Madison, WI).

References

1. Kalka, M. B., Smith, A. R. & Kalko, E. K. Bats limit arthropods and herbivory in a tropical forest. Science 320, 71, doi:10.1126/science.1153352 (2008).
2. Williams-Guillen, K., Perfecto, I. & Vandermeer, J. Bats limit insects in a neotropical agroforestry system. Science 320, 70, doi:10.1126/science.1152944 (2008).
3. Kunz, T. H., Braun de Torrez, E., Bauer, D., Lobova, T. & Fleming, T. H. Ecosystem services provided by bats. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1223, 1-38, doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06004.x (2011).
4. Boyles, J. G., Cryan, P. M., McCracken, G. F. & Kunz, T. H. Conservation. Economic importance of bats in agriculture. Science 332, 41-42, doi:10.1126/science.1201366 (2011).
5. Whitaker Jr., J. O. Food of the big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus from maternity colonies in Indiana and Illinois. Am. Midl. Nat. 134, 346-360 (1995).
6. International, B. C. All About Bats, <www.batcon.org>
7. A Coordinated Response to the Devastating Bat Disease, <http://whitenosesyndrome.org/>
8. Blehert, D. S. et al. Bat white-nose syndrome: an emerging fungal pathogen? Science 323, 227, doi:10.1126/science.1163874 (2009).