Hibernating bats in the NE USA have experienced sudden and dramatic declines over the past three winters due to an emerging infectious disease dubbed “White Nose Syndrome” (WNS). As of January, 2012, new estimates of the number of bats that have died thus far range from 5.7 to 7.7 million, and the causative agent is now known to be the cold-loving fungus Geomyces destructans (Gd). This proposal aims to address these declines by developing and implementing methodologies to combat WNS, which was specifically referenced in the call for proposals. Specific goals include: (1) testing potential treatments for efficacy against cultured Gd (the fungal pathogen associated with WNS) under laboratory conditions, (2) testing potential treatments for safety in healthy bats, and (3) testing potential treatments for efficacy against Gd in hibernating bats.

UPDATE (February 2012)

Trials are currently being conducted under strictly controlled conditions in a captive setting, in which microclimate is tightly controlled and in which each bat’s behavior can be tracked. Limited, highly selective field trials will also be conducted. Studies of the anti-Gd activity of terbinafine, voriconazole, and other anti-fungal compounds are ongoing, but were definitive enough for drug testing of terbinafine and voriconazole to begin in November, 2011, with final analyses completed by December, 2012. During the 2011-2012 hibernation season (November to March), both safety and efficacy trials of selected compounds are being performed on control and Gd-infected bats under controlled laboratory conditions. This will work be completed by April 2012, with analyses of results (including immunological assays) completed by December, 2012. Field testing of candidate treatments (as determined by the captive bat treatment trial) will take place in the hibernation season of 2012-2013, with completion by April, 2013.