Vulnerability of Southern Hemisphere bats to white-nose syndrome based on global analysis of fungal host specificity and cave temperatures.

ABSTRACT: White-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease affecting hibernating bats, is caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Since the initial introduction of Pd from Eurasia to the United States in 2006, WNS has killed millions of bats throughout the temperate parts of North America. There is concern that if Pd is accidentally introduced to the Southern Hemisphere, WNS could pose similar threats to the bat fauna of the Southern Hemisphere's more temperate regions. Efforts are required to better understand the vulnerability of bats globally to WNS. We examined phylogenetic distances among cave roosting bat species globally to estimate the probability of infection by Pd. We predicted cave thermal suitability for Pd for 441 cave-roosting bat species across the globe via spatial analy

SUBMITTER: Wu NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11959316 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature