Wing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology
<p>Abstract</p> <p>White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing unprecedented declines in several species of North American bats. The characteristic lesions of WNS are caused by the fungus <it>Geomyces destructans</it>, which erodes and replaces the living skin of bats while th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2010-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Biology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/135 |
| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing unprecedented declines in several species of North American bats. The characteristic lesions of WNS are caused by the fungus <it>Geomyces destructans</it>, which erodes and replaces the living skin of bats while they hibernate. It is unknown how this infection kills the bats. We review here the unique physiological importance of wings to hibernating bats in relation to the damage caused by <it>G. destructans </it>and propose that mortality is caused by catastrophic disruption of wing-dependent physiological functions. Mechanisms of disease associated with <it>G. destructans </it>seem specific to hibernating bats and are most analogous to disease caused by chytrid fungus in amphibians.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1741-7007 |