Bacteria Isolated From Bats' Skin May Be Possible Treatment For White-Nose Syndrome

[hatrack]

White nose syndrome (WNS) has been a rampant problem for nearly a decade, resulting in a decline of many bat colonies in North America. Now researchers are surprised to learn that a bacteria that naturally grows on the skin of some bats could be a powerful weapon against the deadly fungus.

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the disease was first identified in New York State in late 2006 and has since spread throughout the eastern US (as far as Mississippi) and Canada. It is characterized by a white fungal infection that covers the muzzle and wings of bats. The fungus saps strength from the wintering mammals and, as of July, has killed more than 5.7 million bats since discovered.

Past studies have revealed the exact mechanism for how this fungus does its damage, but whether or not humanity should intervene in a more direct way than simply giving bats new fungus-free places to roost (ie- bat houses, abandoned buildings) remains unclear. After all, some experts think some bat colonies are already on their way to recovery, having actually changed their social and roosting strategies to avoid rampant spread of infection.

Now comes more good news, as researchers managed to isolate bacteria from the skin of four bat species. The bacteria isolated were then tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of the fungus, naturally making some bats more resituate to WNS than others. Six bacterial isolates (all in the genus Pseudomonas) showed promise and were tested more extensively. The results were published in the journal PLOS One, showing that these isolates are able to suppress WNS infections for more than 35 days of frequent exposure.

EDIT

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/14090/20150414/bat-bacteria-helps-battle-white-nose-syndrome.htm

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Great news.

Bats are an important part of the ecological cycle and it's good to hear they might be back on the upswing.