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About the Authors:
DeeAnn M. Reeder
* E-mail: [email protected]
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Craig L. Frank
Affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Armonk, New York, United States of America
Gregory G. Turner
Affiliation: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Carol U. Meteyer
Affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey–National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
Allen Kurta
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States of America
Eric R. Britzke
Affiliation: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States of America
Megan E. Vodzak
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Scott R. Darling
Affiliation: Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Rutland, Vermont, United States of America
Craig W. Stihler
Affiliation: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins, West Virginia, United States of America
Alan C. Hicks
Affiliation: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York, United States of America
Roymon Jacob
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Laura E. Grieneisen
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Sarah A. Brownlee
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Laura K. Muller
Affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey–National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
David S. Blehert
Affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey–National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
Introduction
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is estimated to be responsible for the deaths of at least 5.7 to 6.7 million hibernating bats in the eastern United States and Canada [1], [2]. Clinical signs of WNS were first observed at a single cave in New York State during the winter of 2006–2007 and as of April 2012, WNS has spread to over 200 hibernacula in 19 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces (Fig. 1 [2], [3]). Bats with WNS display a number of aberrant behaviors, and in many instances they have depleted fat stores. Thus far, WNS affects at least six (and possibly nine) species of hibernating insectivorous bats [2], including some classified as endangered or threatened. The little brown bat (or, little brown myotis, Myotis lucifugus), which was once the most common hibernating bat in the...