Published Date: 2012-06-16 18:41:36
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> White nose syndrome, bats - North America (18): USA (IA)
Archive Number: 20120616.1170523

WHITE NOSE SYNDROME, BATS - NORTH AMERICA (18): USA (IOWA)
**********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Wed 13 Jun 2012
Source: Iowa DNR News [edited]
http://whitenosesyndrome.org/sites/default/files/files/ia_gd_pos_nr_final.pdf


Efforts to prevent the spread of a fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats will be stepped up after a low level of the fungus was detected on a hibernating big brown bat at Maquoketa Caves State Park. The detection of the fungus came from a swab taken during sampling on the hibernating bats in March [2012].

The testing is used to detect DNA that would indicate the presence of the fungus (_Geomyces destructans_) that causes white-nose syndrome, which has been deadly for bats particularly in the northeastern portions of the United States and Canada. The testing was done as part of a national study being conducted in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.

A total of 15 bats were swabbed at Dancehall Cave with the very low level of the fungus detected on only one bat.

"The level is so low it's difficult to say what this detection means," said Daryl Howell of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. "It may be at a level low enough that it may not infect the bats at all or it could be just the beginning of an outbreak that we will see in the future." But Howell said even the small detection of the fungus changes the dynamics at Maquoketa Caves State Park. "We now go from trying to prevent the fungus from getting into the cave to trying to prevent it from getting out," Howell said.

To that end, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be adding mats with disinfection solution that people will walk cross after leaving the caves to decrease the potential of spreading the fungus to other caves and bat populations. People who have recently visited other caves will also walk across the disinfection mats prior to going into Maquoketa Caves. The DNR also will have staff available at the caves to provide information to visitors on how to prevent the spread of the fungus. After participating in the educational program, cave visitors are provided a wristband. So far this year, more than 10 000 wristbands have been given out.

"Education is probably the most effective tool we have to prevent the spread of the disease," said Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the state parks bureau.

Maquoketa Caves were closed for 2 years because of concerns about white-nose syndrome and the approximately 400 bats that hibernate there in the winter. The caves were reopened this spring because the DNR was able to have staff available to educate the public about precautions needed to prevent spreading of the disease.

"We were fortunate in that the Legislature appropriated enough money for us to be able to offer this kind of service to the public. We simply didn't have the funding the previous 2 years to be able to do this," said Szcodronski.

Szcodronski said one of the primary messages to visitors at Maquoketa Caves is to not visit other caves with any clothing or gear that was used there.

Howell said options are being looked at to increase sampling at Maquoketa Caves next winter because healthy bat populations are important both ecologically and economically. Many species of bats feed voraciously on insects resulting in an estimated USD 3 billion of savings to the U.S. agriculture industry each year by providing pest control, according to a 2011 article in Science Magazine.

White-nose syndrome is known to be transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but fungal spores may be inadvertently carried to caves by humans on clothing and caving gear. The syndrome is not known to pose a threat to humans, pets or livestock.

---
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>

[_G. destructans_ had never been reported in Iowa before. The closest geographical diagnosis was in Missouri this year. The geographical distribution of WNS in May 2012 can be seen at http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/maps/WNSMAP05-03-12_300dpi.jpg. _G. destructans_ infection had been confirmed in 9 North American bat species, but only in 6 of them was the infection associated with mortality and typical signs of WNS. The big brown bat (_Eptesicus fuscus_; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Big_brown_bat.jpg) is one of those 6 affected species.

A map of the affected area can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/r/2Ayp - Mod.PMB]

See Also

White nose syndrome, bats - North America (17): USA (TN) 20120531.1151215
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (16): USA (MD) 20120512.1131387
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (15): USA (TN) 20120503.1122040
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (14): (NY) recovery 20120422.1110126
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (13): fungus from EU 20120411.1096629
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (12): (MO) 1st conf.
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (11): USA (DE, AL) 20120402.1087681
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (10): USA (MO): susp 20120402.1087680
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (09): USA (MO) susp 20120330.1085190
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (08): USA 20120322.1077634
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (07): (AL) 1st report 20120316.1072257
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (06): (OH) 20120218.1045845
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (05): (KY) 20120209.1036851
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (04): Canada (NB) 20120202.1029552
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (03): Canada (NB) 20120125.1020976
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (02): update 20120120.1016185
White nose syndrome, bats - North America 20120111.1006347
2011
---
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (10): hopeful news 20111222.3657
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (09): cause conf. 20111027.3194
White nose syndrome, bats- North America (08): comment 20111001.2963
White nose syndrome, bats - North America (07): USGS report, comment 20110928.2932
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
and older items in the archives
.................................................sb/pmb/ejp/dk