Are Hibernating Bats Affected with ‘White Nose Syndrome’ Immunocompromised?
Summary: To help identify the potential causes and correlates of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) in North American hibernating bat species, we are assessing various aspects of relative immune function in free-ranging populations. Multiple methods are being used to measure different arms of the immune system in bats from affected and unaffected sites. Additionally, a time course of blood samples has been collected from torpid bats and bats that have incrementally higher body temperatures, or stages of arousal. These approaches test several hypotheses associated with WNS. First, measuring relative immune function in bats from affected and unaffected sites will help elucidate whether or not bats with WNS are experiencing immunosuppression. If they are, this study will identify if reduced immune defenses are solely due to physiological constraints associated with deep torpor or due to some other cause, such as an immunosuppressive infectious agent, a contaminant, or a lack of sufficient energy r
