WNS Confirmed in Maine

[PYoungbaer]

Here's the official press release:

May 24, 2011

Bat Disease, White-Nose Syndrome, Confirmed in Maine; Not Harmful to Humans, but Deadly to Bats

Augusta, Maine – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has received confirmation that white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed more than one million bats in eastern North America, now is in Maine.

Until this year, Maine appeared to be insulated from white-nose syndrome while states and provinces outside its borders were not. However, during surveys conducted by MDIF&W biologists this spring, bats at two sites in Oxford County displayed visible signs of white-nose syndrome fungus on their wings and muzzles. Carcasses collected from one of the sites were sent to the U.S. Geological Survey-National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, for diagnostic evaluation for the disease, and MDIF&W recently received confirmation of the disease in Maine.

White-nose syndrome is associated with a newly discovered fungus, Geomyces destructans, and was given this name because, when first discovered, infected bats had white fungus on their muzzles. WNS was first documented in New York in 2006 and has since spread throughout the Northeast and Canada. Between 90 and 100 percent of hibernating bats in some hibernacula – or caves and mines where bats hibernate in the winter – in the Northeast have died from WNS.

With the addition of Maine, white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in 17 states and four Canadian provinces.

“We are saddened by the discovery of white-nose syndrome in Maine, the final New England state to confirm the presence of this devastating disease,” said Jeremy Coleman, National White-Nose Syndrome Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We will continue to work closely with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and our other partners to support research and management of the disease in Maine and across North America.”

Bat species that hibernate in mines or caves are susceptible to WNS. In Maine, those species are big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), little brown bats (Myotis lucifungus), northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis), tri-colored bats (Pipistrellus subflavus), and eastern small-footed bats (Myotis leibii).

The disease is not harmful to humans, but scientists believe it is possible for humans to transport fungal spores on clothing and gear. In 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advised cavers and researchers to curtail caving activities and implement decontamination procedures in an effort to reduce the spread of white-nose syndrome. The fungus cannot be killed simply by washing clothing.

“Scientists are still learning about WNS, but the fungus lives in cold, damp environments and we know of no risk to humans from contact with infected bats,” according to MDIF&W Wildlife Biologist John DePue.

According to DePue, Maine has only a few hibernacula, or places where bats hibernate for the winter, potentially delaying the infestation of some bats in Maine. However, the fungus associated with WNS may be passed from one bat to another even in the summer, especially when bats gather in maternity roosts. “It is possible that bats that winter in Maine spent the summer in contact with bats from WNS-infected sites in other states, and then carried the fungus back with them to their winter hibernaculum in Maine,” according to DePue.

Bats play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and have an enormous impact on pest control. Therefore, bats benefit the economies of forestry and agriculture in the United States. For example, the one million little brown bats that have already died due to WNS would have eaten between 660 and 1,320 metric tons of insects in one year. A recent study published in Science estimates that insect-eating bats provide a significant pest-control service, saving the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year.

MDIF&W is partnering with other state and federal agencies, tribes, and non-governmental organizations to monitor bat populations through pre- and post-pup rearing surveillance, and maternity emergence counts.

To help reduce the spread of white-nose syndrome, people are asked to follow these guidelines:

Do not handle alive or dead bats.

Do not enter caves or mines in Maine during the winter hibernation months.

Disturbing bats during hibernation causes them to use limited fat reserves and could cause mortality in already health-compromised bats.

For the most up-to-date cave and mine closures and decontamination procedures, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service White-Nose Syndrome web site:

http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome

If you have bats roosting in domestic structures, allow them to rear their pups and exit the structure at the end of the summer before closing off any entrance holes. Provide bats with a bat house for when they return next year.

For more information on white-nose syndrome in Maine, visit the MDIF&W website at www.mefishwildlife.com or send an email with your questions to ifw.webmaster@maine.gov. Or visit www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome or www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/w ... e_syndrome.

Photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/se ... 665235455/

[PYoungbaer]

Here's the most current WNS map. It includes the Maine information, as well as a few other confirmations from other previously suspect sites in already-affected states.




Click image to enlarge.

[tncaver]

The wording of the official press release is the best I've seen. There was no accusatory finger pointing concerning humans, only intelligent advice for everyone.

[boogercaver71]

The fungus cannot be killed simply by washing clothing.

I thought the new consensus was that 122 deg F water would kill the spores?

[tncaver]

The fungus cannot be killed simply by washing clothing.

I thought the new consensus was that 122 deg F water would kill the spores?

I read the same thing today somewhere. However, many water heaters are set higher than that.
Mine is set to 120 deg. F., but many are set to 130 degrees. I can't help but wonder if there is
some kind of confusion or perhaps the original "washing won't kill spores" statement was wrong from the beginning,
or the test washing was conducted at lower temperatures. I sure would like to know. I could set my water heater
just a couple of degrees higher if the 122 degree figure is correct, and kill those spores without chemicals.
And so could every caver in the country. But the bottom line is, that most caves are not hibernacula
to begin with and most cavers avoid bats and hibernacula anyway.

Whip that dead horse forever. Maybe that dead horse isn't dead after all.

[wyandottecaver]

A lab confirmed that hot water can kill G.D. That's not exactly "consensus" and I can assure you it will likely be a while before that makes it into the official USFWS guidelines. For one thing, they will likely want independent confirmation.

Also, chemicals will still likely be easier in the field. Excessively hot water can be bad for ropes just like chemicals, but 122 should be reasonable.

The best thing about this release is that they instruct people to only avoid hibernacula in winter

[tncaver]

The best thing about this release is that they instruct people to only avoid hibernacula in winter

Exactly. And 122 degrees is not excessively hot water.

[PYoungbaer]

Folks,

Please note that the temperature information, as reported by Hazel Barton at the WNS Symposium, from Kevin Keel's lab at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study lab (SCWDS or "squidiss") was that 50 degree Celcius (122 Farenheti) water for 15 minutes will kill Geomyces destructans.

[icave]

122°F+ H2O for over 15 min. would be a welcome change. Can't say I'm a big fan of adding chemicals to my caving gear. 122°F+ for over 15 min. should be easy to achieve. My hot tap water is over 125°F. Fill washer, sink, whatever you want, add one lobster pot of boiling water, add caving clothes, wait 15 minutes. If the temperature is still over 122°F, great.

I hope this eventually becomes an approved decon process IF it is proven and verified by multiple sources to really work. Funny, we now want multiple source verification, yet so much about WNS has been wild speculation). I agree that it may not be as suitable for field decon, but that's why I now own three separate sets of caving gear.

[PYoungbaer]

Some "Down East" Maine humor on bats and WNS:

http://www.downeast.com/maine-the-week-in-review/2011/may/defense-maine-leather-friends

A little too much time on the writer's hands? Just askin'.

[juselton]

not meaning to hijack the thread but...might find a new use for your dishwasher. launder as usual to remove dirt/mud then cycle through dishwasher. not sure if your cycle is longer than 15 minutes so you might have to restart, but the temperature should be adequate.

[rlboyce]

Would you like a little cave mud with your ketchup?

I don't know man, after reading about the raccoon roundworm, I'd be hesitant to use a dishwasher for even "clean" gear. The resiliency of the eggs is astounding. Maybe if I had a second dishwasher that I never used.

From Wikipedia:
Baylisascaris are highly resistant to decontamination procedures because of their dense cell walls and sticky surface. They can survive hot or freezing weather and certain chemicals, remaining viable for several years. Rats are a known vector, and rat droppings may deposit the eggs into the carpets and interiors of homes.

Bleach can prevent the eggs from sticking, but will not ensure destruction. According to Parasitism in Companion Animals by Olympic Veterinary Hospital, hand washing is an important countermeasure against ingestion, and decontamination of other surfaces is accomplished by thoroughly flaming with a propane torch or treating with lye. According to Bolek, other forms of high heat such as boiling water or steam will accomplish the same result.

[PYoungbaer]

ProMed's release on Maine's WNS bats. Two of three known hibernacula in Maine are mines near the NH border. The other known site - which remains clean - is a granite fracture cave in the north woods mountains.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=2400:1001:4343420044769228::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,88602