| Abstract: | 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 Geomyces destructans, 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 G. destructans and propose that mortality is caused by catastrophic disruption of wing-dependent physiological functions. Mechanisms of disease associated with G. destructans seem specific to hibernating bats and are most analogous to disease caused by chytrid fungus in amphibians. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70003533 |
| Citation Author: | Cryan, Paul M.; Meteyer, Carol U.; Boyles, Justin G.; Blehert, David S. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | National Wildlife Health Center |
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| Citation Issue: | 1 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | BMC Biology |
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| Citation Phsyical Description: | 8 p. |
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| Citation Publisher: | BioMed Central |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Wing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology; 2010; Article; Journal; BMC Biology; Cryan, Paul M.; Meteyer, Carol U.; Boyles, Justin G.; Blehert, David S. |
| Citation Start Page: | 135 |
| Citation Volume: | 8 |
| Citation Year: | 2010 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Wing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology; 2010; Article; Journal; BMC Biology; Cryan, Paul M.; Meteyer, Carol U.; Boyles, Justin G.; Blehert, David S. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (INDEX PAGE): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1741-7007-8-135 |
| Date Other: | Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:18 -0600 |
| Publisher: | BioMed Central |
