Published Date: 2011-09-28 09:22:54
Subject: PRO/AH> White nose syndrome, bats - North America (07): USGS report, comment
Archive Number: 20110928.2932

WHITE NOSE SYNDROME, BATS - NORTH AMERICA (07): USGS REPORT, COMMENT
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A ProMED-mail post
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Date: Tue 27 Sep 2011
From: Tabitha Viner <Tabitha_Viner@fws.gov> [edited]


Re: ProMED-mail White nose syndrome, bats - North America (06): USGS
report 20110924.2887
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This posting fails to mention that bats appear to be the primary
vector for spread of WNS [white nose syndrome], as evidenced by
WNS-associated mortalities in caves and mines that are inaccessible to
humans due to permanent gating. Caves that have not been visited by
humans, as recorded on electronic monitors, have become positive for
_Geomyces destructans_.

Large geographical jumps of WNS (such as from Europe to the US and
from New England to West Virginia) do strongly implicate humans as
fomites, but do not rule out the role of the bats themselves. To point
to human traffic within caves as a means of pathogen spread, while
omitting what many scientists, biologists, and responsible cavers
believe to be the primary means of spread, does not relay the full
scientific story and propagates misinformation by omission.

--
Tabitha Viner, DVM DACVP
Supervisory Veterinary Pathologist
US Fish and Wildlife Service
National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab
1490 E. Main St.
Ashland, OR 97520-1310
<Tabitha_Viner@fws.gov>

[Dr Viner makes a great observation. I appreciate my sharp eyed
readers and their time to make comments.

Sadly, the report makes no mention of bats being their own vector. The
report and Dr Viner's observations help to highlight how much we do
not know about this disease. - Mod.TG]

See Also

White nose syndrome, bats - North America (06): USGS report
20110924.2887
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (05) 20110830.2659
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (04): summary 20110828.2635
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (07): (NC) 20110720.2191
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (06) : official information
20110604.1708
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (05): (ME) 20110526.1606
White nose syndrome, bats - USA: federal plan 20110521.1544
White nose syndrome, bats - Canada (02): (NS) 20110515.1486
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (03) 20110421.1241
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (02): (USA, Canada)
20110420.1229
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (03): (KY) 20110415.1178
White nose syndrome, bats - Canada: (ON) RFI 20110410.1129
White nose syndrome, bats - North America: (USA, Canada)
20110403.1034
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (02): (NC) 20110307.0748
White nose syndrome, bats - USA: (IN) 20110203.0394
.................................................tg/mj/lm