| Abstract | Although no mass mortality has been recorded so far, the precise demographic effect of white-nose syndrome (WNS) on European bats still remains to be ascertained. Following the first isolation of P. destructans in Italy, further surveys were performed to assess the distribution of the fungus in NW Italy and its effects on bats. Data were collected from March 2019 to April 2020 at sites used for hibernation (six sites) and/or for reproduction (four sites) in Piedmont and Aosta Valley. A total of 138 bats, belonging to 10 species, were examined to identify clinical features possibly related to the fungal presence. Culture from swabs and the molecular identification of isolates confirmed the presence of P. destructans in bats from five sites, including two maternal roosts. Dermal fungal infiltration, the criterion to assess the presence of WNS, was observed in biopsies of bats belonging to Myotis blythii, M. daubentonii, M. emarginatus and M. myotis. This is the first report of the disease in Italy. The results suggest a greater susceptibility to the infection of the genus Myotis and particularly of M. emarginatus, possibly due to the long length of its hibernation period. Other fungal dermatophytes were also observed. |
| Text | 447246 2021 10.3390/jof7030192 Chiroptera Pseudogymnoascus destructans Geomyces destructans white nose disease hibernacula maternal roost Myotis White Nose Syndrome Confirmed in Italy A Preliminary Assessment of Its Occurrence in Bat Species Laura Garzoli; Elena Bozzetta; Katia Varello; Andrea Cappelleri; Elena Patriarca; Paolo Debernardi; Marco Riccucci; Angela Boggero; Carolina Girometta; Anna Maria Picco 1 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; 2 S.Te.P. Stazione Teriologica Piemontese, 10022 Carmagnola, Italy; 3 CNR Water Research Institute IRSA , 28922 Verbania, Italy; 4 Department of Specialised Diagnostic, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; 5 Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; 6 Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory MAPLab , Fondazione UniMi, 20139 Milan, Italy; 7 Zoological Section «La Specola», Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence, 50125 Florence, Italy Although no mass mortality has been recorded so far, the precise demographic effect of white nose syndrome WNS on European bats still remains to be ascertained. Following the first isolation of P. destructans in Italy, further surveys were performed to assess the distribution of the fungus in NW Italy and its effects on bats. Data were collected from March 2019 to April 2020 at sites used for hibernation six sites and/or for reproduction four sites in Piedmont and Aosta Valley. A total of 138 bats, belonging to 10 species, were examined to identify clinical features possibly related to the fungal presence. Culture from swabs and the molecular identification of isolates confirmed the presence of P. destructans in bats from five sites, including two maternal roosts. Dermal fungal infiltration, the criterion to assess the presence of WNS, was observed in biopsies of bats belonging to Myotis blythii, M. daubentonii, M. emarginatus and M. myotis. This is the first report of the disease in Italy. The results suggest a greater susceptibility to the infection of the genus Myotis and particularly of M. emarginatus, possibly due to the long length of its hibernation period. Other fungal dermatophytes were also observed. 7 Published version https //www.mdpi.com/2309 608X/7/3/192 Articolo in rivista MDPI 2309 608X Journal of fungi Journal of fungi Journal of fungi J. fungi JoF angela.boggero BOGGERO ANGELA laura.garzoli GARZOLI LAURA |
