Interruption to cutaneous gas exchange is not a likely mechanism of WNS-associated death in bats
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Publication Date
1-1-2015
Abstract
Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) is the causative fungal agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging fungal-borne epizootic. WNS is responsible for a catastrophic decline of hibernating bats in North America, yet we have limited understanding of the physiological interactions between pathogen and host. Pd severely damages wings and tail membranes, by causing dryness that leads to whole sections crumbling off. Four possible mechanisms have been proposed by which infection could lead to dehydration; in this study, we tested one: Pd infection could cause disruption to passive gas-exchange pathways across the wing membranes, thereby causing a compensatory increase in water-intensive pulmonary respiration. We hypothesized total evaporative water loss would be greater when passive gas exchange was inhibited. We found bats did not lose more water when passive pathways were blocked. This study provides evidence against the proposed proximal mechanism that disruption to passive gas exchange causes dehydration and death to WNS-infected bats.
Document Type
Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.118950
Recommended Citation
Carey, Charleve S. and Boyles, Justin G., "Interruption to cutaneous gas exchange is not a likely mechanism of WNS-associated death in bats" (2015). KIP Articles. 8730.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/8730
