Since it first emerged in New York in 2006 , the fungal pathogenPseudogymnoascus destructans , which causeswhite - nozzle syndrome , has desolate bat populations throughout the eastern half of the continent . At least four species are heading toward defunctness , suffering declines in sure regional populations of over 90 % . investigator hoping to reduce the impact of the disease are turning to beneficial bacteria . Two teams make for with two type of bacterium – one know on squash racket and one living in soil – are seeing some very bright starts , Naturereports .
Cold - lovingP. destructanspenetrates chiropteran dermal tissue paper ( the nose , ear , and wings ) , and it disrupts process like hotness and water loss , electrolyte equaliser , and hibernation . Its optimal growing temperature is between 10 and 14 degrees Anders Celsius – right about the same temperature of hibernating bat . As the fungal pathogen repeatedly excite hibernating bats , their fat memory are use up too early and the bats starve . Those who survive the infection , which typically lasts 70 to 120 day , are able to clear their bodies of it during the leap . But even though they ’re in full recovered , these bats are reinfected in the fall . The fungus sticks around on cave and mine walls , persisting for a long meter even in the absence of bats .
AUniversity of California Santa Cruz squad led by Joseph Hoytwanted to see if probiotic microflora that naturally occur on bats could subdue the growth ofP. destructans . They isolate six types ofPseudomonasbacteria from the skin of four bat species in New York and Virginia , then culture them with the fungous pathogen . All of the isolates significantly inhibit the growth of the cause of death fungus .
The answer of the science lab field were published to begin with this year inPLoS ONE . “ We are analyse datum from tests on alive bat now , and if the issue are irrefutable , the next step would be a small playing field trial , ” Hoyt says in astatement .
piddling brown bat with seeable symptoms typical of lily-white - nozzle syndrome in Hardin County , Illinois . Steve Taylor / USFWS FlickrCC BY 2.0
Meanwhile , U.S. Forest Service researchersandGeorgia State University ’s Chris Cornelisonare “ process ” infected squash racquet with a soil bacterium calledRhodococcus rhodochrous . These produce lifelike volatile that keep the fungal spores from grow on fruits and crops . “ If it can keep fungi from grow on a piece of fruit , ” Cornelison thought , according toWired , “ it might facilitate forestall fungi from growing on a bat . ” After charm infected bats , the squad unwrap them to the bacteria for 48 hour before releasing them back into their caves to finish hibernating . Most of the treated squash racket in this field experimentation come through the wintertime .
Then , on May 20 , outside the Mark Twain Cave Complex in Hannibal , Missouri , the researchersreleasedmany of the bats who had successfully recovered from clean - nozzle syndrome into the wild . The squad is currently analyzing their data .
However , even if any of these bacterial discussion are effective , Naturereports , they ’ll only be unforesightful - term solutions . The bats do n’t seem to be developing unsusceptibility to the fungus and they might need to be treat every year .
