WHITE NOSE SYNDROME, BATS - USA (14)

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Date: 7 Aug 2010
From: H.J.Baker, BSc, DVM



If we can get enough money people excited about a solution, we could
mount an attempt, at least, at a treatment.

For example:

1) Do we know whether providing a food source for bats during the
winter would keep them going long enough to become immune to the
fungus? Bat caves could be supplied with trays of wax-worm larvae
that would pupate and become moths IN the cave to feed any bats that
wake up hungry mid-hibernation. It would not be possible to feed ALL
the caverns, but some is better than none.

2) Most anti-fungal drugs are fat-soluble. Could we feed larvae of
flying insects (supplied in the cave) substrate laced with
ketoconizole (as an example) so that the adults carry a therapeutic
dose of antifungal for any foraging bats?

3) Is it worth altering the environment in the cave to make it too
dry for easy fungal growth? Pictures I have seen from caves near
Denver show masses of white mycelium hanging from the cavern roof.

Research in a hurry is needful and will be expensive.

--
H.J.Baker, BSc, DVM
Etobicoke, Ontario
Canada


[I am unaware if any of these treatment methods have been tried.
There was a similar trial on spreading some antifungal on a few bats
and hoping it would spread through the colony by grooming. However,
that has been several months ago and there has been no follow up
published. So Dr. Baker is putting forward some thoughtful solutions. - Mod.TG]

[See also:
White nose syndrome, bats - USA (13): update 20100807.2678]
....................tg/ejp/mpp

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