White-nose syndrome without borders: Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection tolerated in Europe and Palearctic Asia but not in North America

• DOI: 10.1038/srep19829
• Publication Date: 2016-01-29T05:21:16Z
• Authors: Jan Zukal; Hana Bandouchova; Jiri Brichta; Adela Cmokova; Kamil S. Jaron; Miroslav Kolarik; Veronika Kovacova; Alena Kubátová; Alena Nováková; Oleg Orlov; Jiri Pikula; Primož Presetnik; Jurģis Šuba; Alexandra Zahradn...; Natália Martínková
• Keywords: Myotis lucifugus; Pathognomonic; White (mutation)

Abstract A striking feature of white-nose syndrome, a fungal infection hibernating bats, is the difference in outcome between North America and Europe. Here we show high WNS prevalence both Europe on West Siberian Plain Asia. Palearctic bat communities tolerate similar loads Pseudogymnoascus destructans as their Nearctic counterparts histopathology indicates equal focal skin tissue invasiveness pathognomonic for lesions. Fungal load positively correlates with disease intensity it reaches highest values at intermediate latitudes. Prevalence dynamics bats remained persistent 2012 2014. Dominant haplotypes five genes are widespread America, Asia, expanding source region syndrome to non-European hibernacula. Our data provides evidence endemicity tolerance this virulent fungus Palearctic, suggesting that host-pathogen interaction equilibrium has been established.