USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

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USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby PYoungbaer » Sep 23, 2011 7:04 am

The U.S. Geological Survey issued a Wildlife Health Bulletin yesterday calling for Universal Precautions for humans vis a vis WNS. This is not a new cleaning and disinfecting protocol, but an official opinion that since we can't control bat movement, controlling people movement is the only viable option for containing WNS. No new research is cited to support the belief of human-assisted transmission and most of the language has appeared in other USGS papers, but the Bulletin is directly sent to wildlife managers everywhere and is likely to have more impact on management strategies. Here's the text:

Wildlife Health Bulletin 2011-05

To: Natural Resource/Conservation Managers
From: Dr. Jonathan Sleeman, Center Director, USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Title: Universal precautions for the management of bat white-nose syndrome (WNS)
Date: September 22, 2011

Evidence suggests that white-nose syndrome is likely caused by the cold-growing fungus, Geomyces destructans (Blehert et al, 2009; Cryan et al, 2010; Blehert et al, 2011). This fungus infects bats and produces large numbers of reproductive structures (spores) that can persist and remain viable on the surfaces of caves and mines where bats hibernate (Puechmaille et al, 2011; Blehert et al, 2011). Thus, infested caves and mines are potential sources for disease spread by humans that enter these sites and come into contact with fungal spores.

Infectious diseases such as WNS spread rapidly when a pathogen can persist in the environment without the need for host organisms, abundantly reproduce itself, and readily infect large numbers of animals. Regardless of the infectious agent (fungus, bacterium, or virus), standard procedures known as universal precautions can be implemented to reduce disease transmission and spread (Thrusfield, 2005; USDA National Animal Health Emergency Management System Guidelines: Biosecurity). These standard disease management procedures as applied to WNS include decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and limitation of access to contaminated environments. The primary objective for implementing universal precautions is to prevent human-assisted movements of pathogens to unaffected locations.

Evidence suggests that human-assisted movement of the abundant spores produced by the WNS fungus plays a role in the spread of this disease. This evidence includes long-distance jumps in the occurrence of the fungus which exceed the known natural migratory distances of hibernating bats within North America (although surveillance bias cannot be ruled out). In addition, ongoing laboratory studies suggest the WNS fungus was introduced to North America from Europe (no bat species migrate between the continents), viable fungus has been found to persist in bat guano and on the floors and walls of contaminated hibernacula, and spores of the WNS fungus have been found on the surfaces of equipment removed from a contaminated site (Okoniewski et al, 2010; Puechmaille et al, 2011; Blehert et al, 2011). Other fungal pathogens that persist in the environment, such as Cryptococcus in the Pacific Northwest (MacDougall et al, 2007) and the chytrid fungus among amphibians globally (Daszak et al, 1999; Kriger and Hero, 2009) can likely be transported by humans, thus human-assisted movement of the WNS fungus is not unexpected.

Although both bats and humans likely contribute to the spread of WNS, reduction of risk for the accidental translocation of fungus by humans is an important management objective. Universal precautions relevant to the management of WNS and other diseases include implementing effective decontamination procedures prior to leaving potentially contaminated sites, prohibiting movement of clothing and equipment between contaminated and unaffected locations, and restricting unnecessary human access to sensitive habitats (Thrusfield, 2005; USDA National Animal Health Emergency Management System Guidelines: Biosecurity). These measures represent standard components of a disease management program in veterinary medicine and serve to reduce risk for both intra- and inter-continental spread of WNS.

A variation to the recommendation to implement management actions (decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and site closures) across all habitats suitable for maintaining viable WNS fungus is to develop a targeted or zoned disease management program. However, instituting management actions only at locations known to be contaminated by the WNS fungus may increase risk for disease spread, because: 1) there is currently no diagnostic method to rapidly and routinely screen environmental samples (e.g., cave soil) to identify contaminated sites (Lindner et al, 2010); and 2) identifying contaminated sites based solely upon the observation of sick bats is unreliable. Furthermore, as the WNS fungus has been found in environmental samples collected in caves and mines where WNS occurs (Puechmaille et al, 2011; Blehert et al, 2011), universal precautions indicate that presence of fungus must now be assumed unless absence can be proven.

Decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and site closures are currently in place to reduce the potential for humans to transfer the WNS fungus. These guidelines are based upon scientific standards routinely employed for the management of animal diseases and represent a responsible approach to minimize risk to important natural resources. We cannot yet rapidly screen sites for the presence of WNS fungus when visibly infected bats are absent, we cannot safely and effectively treat wild bats for WNS, we cannot decontaminate fragile cave ecosystems upon which bats rely, nor can we limit the natural movements of bats. Modifying human activity by implementing decontamination procedures, equipment restrictions, and site closures are the options currently available for managing the spread of WNS; these procedures will be reviewed as indicated by additional scientific findings.

References:
Blehert, D.S., et al. 2009. Bat white-nose syndrome: an emerging fungal pathogen? Science 323: 227.
Blehert, D.S., J.M. Lorch, A.E. Ballmann, P.M. Cryan, and C.U. Meteyer. 2011. Bat white-nose syndrome in North America. Microbe 6: 267-273.

Cryan, P.M., C.U. Meteyer, J.G. Boyles, and D.S. Blehert. 2010. Wing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology. BMC Biology 8: 135. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-8-135.

Daszak, P, L Berger, A.A. Cunningham, A.D. Hyatt, D.E. Green, and R. Speare. 1999. Emerging infectious diseases and amphibian population declines. Emerging Infectious Diseases 5: 735-748.

Kriger, K.M. and J-M. Hero. 2009. Chytridiomycosis, amphibian extinctions, and lessons for the prevention of future panzootics. EcoHealth 6:148-151.

Lindner, D.L., et al. 2011. DNA-based detection of the fungal pathogen Geomyces destructans in soil from bat hibernation sites. Mycologia 103: 241-246.

MacDougall, L., et al. Spread of Cryptococcus gattii in British Columbia, Canada, and detection in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13: 42-50.

Okoniewski, J.C., et al. 2010. Detection of the conidia of Geomyces destructans in northeast hibernacula, at maternal colonies, and on gear – findings based on microscopy and culture. In Abstracts of presented papers and posters for 2010 white-nose syndrome symposium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 25-27, 2010, pp. 17-18 (http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/pd ... ersfor.pdf).

Puechmaille, S.E., et al. 2011. Pan-European distribution of white-nose syndrome fungus (Geomyces destructans) not associated with mass mortality. PLoSONE 6: e19167. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019167.

Thrusfield, M. 2005. The control and eradication of disease (pp. 384-403). In Veterinary Epidemiology, 3rd Edition. Blackwell Science, Ltd., Oxford, United Kingdom.

US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services. 2011. National Animal Health Emergency Management System Guidelines: Biosecurity. http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/pdf/fad-pr ... iosecurity.


More information on WNS in bats can be found at:

v U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/
v USGS National Wildlife Health Center:
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_inform ... _syndrome/
v USGS Fort Collins Science Center: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/WNS/

To report or request assistance for wildlife mortality events or health issues, visit http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/mortality_events/reporting.jsp or contact Dr. Anne Ballmann, 608-270-2445, aballmann@usgs.gov; Dr. LeAnn White, 608-270-2491, clwhite@usgs.gov; Barb Bodenstein, 608-270-2447, bbodenstein@usgs.gov; Dr. Thierry Work, 808-792-9520, thierry_work@usgs.gov (Hawaii and Pacific Islands); or Jennifer Bradsby, 608-270-2443, jbradsby@usgs.gov (single mortality events nationwide).

WILDLIFE HEALTH BULLETINS are distributed to natural resource/conservation agencies to provide and promote information exchange about significant wildlife health threats. If you would like to be added to or removed from the mailing list for these bulletins, please contact Gail Moede Rogall at 608-270-2438 or e-mail: nwhc-outreach@usgs.gov.
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby Scott McCrea » Sep 23, 2011 8:25 am

What is "surveillance bias?"
Is there really evidence of long-distance jumps or are they just assuming that is what happened?
Are double-negatives acceptable in scientific publications?
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby BrianC » Sep 23, 2011 9:27 am

Scott McCrea wrote:What is "surveillance bias?"
Is there really evidence of long-distance jumps or are they just assuming that is what happened?
Are double-negatives acceptable in scientific publications?


Forgive me if I am overstepping good judgment, But good grief Scott! When assistance was offered early on and all of this was forecast, you seemed to bash any thoughtful, reasonable, proactive, rectification of this mess. Why are you concerned now? :shrug:
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby Scott McCrea » Sep 23, 2011 10:09 am

BrianC wrote:Forgive me if I am overstepping good judgment...

You're forgiven.
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby LukeM » Sep 23, 2011 10:46 am

I'm assuming they meant that by looking at only specific sites, the illusion of a large jump could be created by their selection of sites, rather than by bat migration.
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby tncaver » Sep 23, 2011 11:44 am

:doh:
Last edited by tncaver on Sep 27, 2011 7:59 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby hewhocaves » Sep 25, 2011 10:49 pm

Reading stuff like this really makes me not want to keep up on WNS. I'm rather frustrated that politics continues to maintain its stranglehold over good science. Note that I'm frustrated.. not surprised. :/

John

Addendum -

looking at the 11 references supplied, it appears (from first glance) that we have

2 WNS overview papers
1 pathology of how WNS affects bat wings
3 papers about how other diseases/fungi spread - no doubt cherry picked for the information which would make human transmission the likely vector.
2 poster saying that they found WNS in the soil of a cave under where some bats were hanging. Shocking stuff! Why hasn't anyone looked into this "gravity" before?
1 apparently ridiculously generalized paper about how disease should be controlled and eradicated. (Disease Bad! Hulk crush disease!)
1 paper saying that WNS will fix itself. I'm sorry, it actually says that WNS HAS fixed itself.. in Europe.. thousands of years ago... apparently without the benefit of the CBD.
1 paper on "biosecurity". Unfortunately not penned by Michael Crichton.

Based on those references, half the faculty in my department would toss that paper and chide me for wasting their time with it. The other half are energy geologists. ZIng! I kid.
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby DeanWiseman » Sep 26, 2011 6:10 am

hewhocaves wrote:Reading stuff like this really makes me not want to keep up on WNS. I'm rather frustrated that politics continues to maintain its stranglehold over good science. Note that I'm frustrated.. not surprised.


Nice point about the references, John. But PLEASE do not stop keeping up on WNS. Your observations and attentiveness are most needed at this point.

I made a proposal to the NSS Executive Committee a few days ago about one way to move forward in this era of WNS... Observations regarding the quality and the scope of the references in terms of the policy recommendation are timely.

Thanks,

-Dean

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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby wyandottecaver » Sep 26, 2011 4:59 pm

WNS management decisions were never based on available science. When we didn't HAVE any available science I guess I was tolerant. Now it's just professional cowardice since everyone's permits are signed by the USFWS and they have been very clear about what constitutes acceptable statements about human transmission. Unfortunately, now WNS "research" in general is declining into the same yes-man parrots of the USFWS party line.
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Re: USGS Issues WNS Bulletin on Human Transmission

Postby hewhocaves » Sep 28, 2011 12:10 pm

DeanWiseman wrote:Nice point about the references, John. But PLEASE do not stop keeping up on WNS. Your observations and attentiveness are most needed at this point.


Maybe I should clarify. I'm not keen on keeping up on WNS politics... the science I find fascinating, as I do all science.

John
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