Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats
Abstract Disease results from interactions among the host, pathogen, and environment. Inoculation trials can quantify interactions among these players and explain aspects of disease ecology to inform management in variable and dynamic natural environments. White-nose Syndrome, a disease caused by th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-04965-x |
| _version_ | 1818953659613970432 |
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| author | Winifred F. Frick Emily Johnson Tina L. Cheng Julia S. Lankton Robin Warne Jason Dallas Katy L. Parise Jeffrey T. Foster Justin G. Boyles Liam P. McGuire |
| author_facet | Winifred F. Frick Emily Johnson Tina L. Cheng Julia S. Lankton Robin Warne Jason Dallas Katy L. Parise Jeffrey T. Foster Justin G. Boyles Liam P. McGuire |
| author_sort | Winifred F. Frick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Disease results from interactions among the host, pathogen, and environment. Inoculation trials can quantify interactions among these players and explain aspects of disease ecology to inform management in variable and dynamic natural environments. White-nose Syndrome, a disease caused by the fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), has caused severe population declines of several bat species in North America. We conducted the first experimental infection trial on the tri-colored bat, Perimyotis subflavus, to test the effect of temperature and humidity on disease severity. We also tested the effects of temperature and humidity on fungal growth and persistence on substrates. Unexpectedly, only 37% (35/95) of bats experimentally inoculated with Pd at the start of the experiment showed any infection response or disease symptoms after 83 days of captive hibernation. There was no evidence that temperature or humidity influenced infection response. Temperature had a strong effect on fungal growth on media plates, but the influence of humidity was more variable and uncertain. Designing laboratory studies to maximize research outcomes would be beneficial given the high costs of such efforts and potential for unexpected outcomes. Understanding the influence of microclimates on host–pathogen interactions remains an important consideration for managing wildlife diseases, particularly in variable environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T10:09:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10392f630473433ca916eef2a1477b3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T10:09:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-10392f630473433ca916eef2a1477b3c2022-12-21T19:44:10ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-01-0112111310.1038/s41598-022-04965-xExperimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating batsWinifred F. Frick0Emily Johnson1Tina L. Cheng2Julia S. Lankton3Robin Warne4Jason Dallas5Katy L. Parise6Jeffrey T. Foster7Justin G. Boyles8Liam P. McGuire9Bat Conservation InternationalDepartment of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech UniversityBat Conservation InternationalU.S. Geological Survey - National Wildlife Health CenterCooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory and School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois UniversityCooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory and School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois UniversityPathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona UniversityPathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona UniversityCooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory and School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech UniversityAbstract Disease results from interactions among the host, pathogen, and environment. Inoculation trials can quantify interactions among these players and explain aspects of disease ecology to inform management in variable and dynamic natural environments. White-nose Syndrome, a disease caused by the fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), has caused severe population declines of several bat species in North America. We conducted the first experimental infection trial on the tri-colored bat, Perimyotis subflavus, to test the effect of temperature and humidity on disease severity. We also tested the effects of temperature and humidity on fungal growth and persistence on substrates. Unexpectedly, only 37% (35/95) of bats experimentally inoculated with Pd at the start of the experiment showed any infection response or disease symptoms after 83 days of captive hibernation. There was no evidence that temperature or humidity influenced infection response. Temperature had a strong effect on fungal growth on media plates, but the influence of humidity was more variable and uncertain. Designing laboratory studies to maximize research outcomes would be beneficial given the high costs of such efforts and potential for unexpected outcomes. Understanding the influence of microclimates on host–pathogen interactions remains an important consideration for managing wildlife diseases, particularly in variable environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-04965-x |
| spellingShingle | Winifred F. Frick Emily Johnson Tina L. Cheng Julia S. Lankton Robin Warne Jason Dallas Katy L. Parise Jeffrey T. Foster Justin G. Boyles Liam P. McGuire Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats Scientific Reports |
| title | Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats |
| title_full | Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats |
| title_fullStr | Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats |
| title_short | Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats |
| title_sort | experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on white nose syndrome in hibernating bats |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-04965-x |
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