Published Date: 2011-10-01 18:07:45
Subject: PRO/AH> White nose syndrome, bats - North America (08): comment
Archive Number: 20111001.2963
WHITE NOSE SYNDROME, BATS - NORTH AMERICA (08): COMMENT
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: 1 Oct 2011
From: Dr. Jonathan M Sleeman [edited]
<jsleeman@usgs.gov>
We thank Dr. Viner for her response to the National Wildlife Health
Center's Wildlife Health Bulletin titled "Universal precautions for
the management of bat white nose syndrome (WNS)." We concur with her
observation that bats are likely the primary mode of transmission for
_Geomyces destructans_, the presumptive causative agent of WNS (the
following sentence is quoted directly from the Bulletin: "Although
both bats and humans likely contribute to the spread of WNS, reduction
of risk for the accidental translocation of fungus by humans is an
important management objective").
Wildlife Health Bulletins are sent to wildlife managers and other
interested parties to provide timely updates on wildlife health
issues, and convey specific information pertinent to the management of
wildlife diseases. They are not intended to be complete scientific
summaries, and although peer-reviewed, we do not consider them to be
citable. This particular Bulletin was intended to focus on the growing
body of evidence indicating that fomite transmission of fungal spores
can occur (although humans as mechanical vectors of the spores has not
been ruled out), and universal precautions that can be taken to
prevent such spread. Evidence cited in the Bulletin included
long-distance jumps in the occurrence of the fungus which exceed the
known natural migratory distances of hibernating bats within North
America, although surveillance bias cannot be ruled out.
In addition, we cited ongoing laboratory studies that suggest the WNS
fungus was introduced to North America from Europe (no bat species
migrate between the continents), as well as the fact viable fungus has
been found to persist in bat guano and on the floors and walls of
contaminated hibernacula, and that spores of the WNS fungus have been
found on the surfaces of equipment removed from a contaminated site.
Human-assisted movement of pathogens by a variety of methods is an
issue of recognized importance in the emergence of infectious diseases
world-wide.
References
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1. Blehert, D.S., J.M. Lorch, A.E. Ballmann, P.M. Cryan, and C.U.
Meteyer. 2011. Bat white-nose syndrome in North America. Microbe 6:
267-273
2. WNS web site http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/
Jonathan Sleeman, MA, VetMB, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ECZM, MRCVS
Center Director
USGS, National Wildlife Health Center
<jsleeman@usgs.gov>
[White nose bat syndrome remains an excellent case study in the
emergence, spread and control of wildlife diseases. There seems to be
little disagreement that multiple means of transmission, including
direct spread from infected bats to new areas as well as the human
assisted spread of the disease to new areas are responsible for the
widening geographic focus of the disease. It is always important
epidemiologically to focus on preventable actions and the emphasis on
control of human assisted transmission by the use of universal
precautions seems to be a good 1st step. Hopefully, we will be able to
come up with implementable measures to stop other means of
transmission for this troublesome, continually expanding outbreak. -
Mod.PC]
See Also
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (07): USGS report, comment20110928.2932
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
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