Detailed Information on Publication Record

BANDOUCHOVA, Hana, Tomáš BARTONIČKA, Hana BERKOVÁ, Jiří BRICHTA, Tomasz KOKUREWICZ, Veronika KOVACOVA, Petr LINHART, Vladimir PIACEK, Jiri PIKULA, Alexandra ZAHRADNIKOVA and Jan ZUKAL. Alterations in the health of hibernating bats under pathogen pressure. Scientific reports. LONDON: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2018, vol. 8, No 6067, p. 1-11. ISSN 2045-2322. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24461-5.

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Basic information
Original name	Alterations in the health of hibernating bats under pathogen pressure
Authors	BANDOUCHOVA, Hana (203 Czech Republic), Tomáš BARTONIČKA (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Hana BERKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic), Jiří BRICHTA (203 Czech Republic), Tomasz KOKUREWICZ (616 Poland), Veronika KOVACOVA (203 Czech Republic), Petr LINHART (203 Czech Republic), Vladimir PIACEK (203 Czech Republic), Jiri PIKULA (203 Czech Republic), Alexandra ZAHRADNIKOVA (703 Slovakia) and Jan ZUKAL (203 Czech Republic).
Edition	Scientific reports, LONDON, NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2018, 2045-2322.

Other information
Original language	English
Type of outcome	Article in a journal
Field of Study	10600 1.6 Biological sciences
Country of publisher	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Confidentiality degree	is not subject to a state or trade secret
Impact factor	Impact factor: 4.011
RIV identification code	RIV/00216224:14310/18:00102682
Organization unit	Faculty of Science
Doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24461-5
UT WoS	000430176300004
Keywords in English	WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME; MYOTIS MYOTIS-LUCIFUGUS; PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS-DESTRUCTANS; GEOMYCES-DESTRUCTANS; SYNDROME FUNGUS; TRADE-OFFS; ECOLOGICAL IMMUNOLOGY; DISEASE SEVERITY; NORTH-AMERICA; TOLERANCE
Changed by	Changed by: Mgr. Lucie Jarošová, DiS., učo 205746. Changed: 26/3/2019 10:44.

Abstract
In underground hibernacula temperate northern hemisphere bats are exposed to Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal agent of white-nose syndrome. While pathological and epidemiological data suggest that Palearctic bats tolerate this infection, we lack knowledge about bat health under pathogen pressure. Here we report blood profiles, along with body mass index (BMI), infection intensity and hibernation temperature, in greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis). We sampled three European hibernacula that differ in geomorphology and microclimatic conditions. Skin lesion counts differed between contralateral wings of a bat, suggesting variable exposure to the fungus. Analysis of blood parameters suggests a threshold of ca. 300 skin lesions on both wings, combined with poor hibernation conditions, may distinguish healthy bats from those with homeostatic disruption. Physiological effects manifested as mild metabolic acidosis, decreased glucose and peripheral blood eosinophilia which were strongly locality-dependent. Hibernating bats displaying blood homeostasis disruption had 2 degrees C lower body surface temperatures. A shallow BMI loss slope with increasing pathogen load suggested a high degree of infection tolerance. European greater mouse-eared bats generally survive P. destructans invasion, despite some health deterioration at higher infection intensities (dependant on hibernation conditions). Conservation measures should minimise additional stressors to conserve constrained body reserves of bats during hibernation.

Abstract

In underground hibernacula temperate northern hemisphere bats are exposed to Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal agent of white-nose syndrome. While pathological and epidemiological data suggest that Palearctic bats tolerate this infection, we lack knowledge about bat health under pathogen pressure. Here we report blood profiles, along with body mass index (BMI), infection intensity and hibernation temperature, in greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis). We sampled three European hibernacula that differ in geomorphology and microclimatic conditions. Skin lesion counts differed between contralateral wings of a bat, suggesting variable exposure to the fungus. Analysis of blood parameters suggests a threshold of ca. 300 skin lesions on both wings, combined with poor hibernation conditions, may distinguish healthy bats from those with homeostatic disruption. Physiological effects manifested as mild metabolic acidosis, decreased glucose and peripheral blood eosinophilia which were strongly locality-dependent. Hibernating bats displaying blood homeostasis disruption had 2 degrees C lower body surface temperatures. A shallow BMI loss slope with increasing pathogen load suggested a high degree of infection tolerance. European greater mouse-eared bats generally survive P. destructans invasion, despite some health deterioration at higher infection intensities (dependant on hibernation conditions). Conservation measures should minimise additional stressors to conserve constrained body reserves of bats during hibernation.