Hibernation temperature-dependent Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection intensity in Palearctic bats.

ABSTRACT: White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that is devastating to Nearctic bat populations but tolerated by Palearctic bats. Temperature is a factor known to be important for fungal growth and bat choice of hibernation. Here we investigated the effect of temperature on the pathogenic fungal growth in the wild across the Palearctic. We modelled body surface temperature of bats with respect to fungal infection intensity and disease severity and were able to relate this to the mean annual surface temperature at the site. Bats that hibernated at lower temperatures had less fungal growth and fewer skin lesions on their wings. Contrary to expectation derived from laboratory P. destructans culture experiments, natural infection intensity pea

SUBMITTER: Martinkova N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10022473 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature