Review of the current status and future perspectives on Pseudogymnoascus destructans studies with reference to the species findings in Bulgaria

Абстракт

Emerging infectious diseases are a well-known threat to the wildlife and require complex research. There is a rapidly accumulating knowledge on the infectious disease of bats (White Nose Syndrome - WNS/White Nose Disease - WND) and its causative agent - the pathogenic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Although mass mortality of bats, known since a decade, is currently restricted to North America, the pathogen is of global concern as a potential threat to other hibernating bat populations. Therefore five years after the first comprehensive synthesis on the fungal ecology and relevant knowledge gaps (Foley et al. 2011), we decided to summarize the published information on the pathogen morphology, reproduction, ecological requirements, geographic distribution and systematic position. In addition, the present review compiles the
available data on the affected bat species, mechanisms of WND, on the host response and on the effective treatment strategies with possible methods forfighting the pathogen to reduce the mortality in affected regions as well. Special attention is paid to the finding of the fungus in Bulgarian caves.

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