Fungal Bat Disease Takes Hold in Texas

White-nose Syndrome confirmed for the first time

White-nose syndrome has been confirmed to be responsible for millions of bat deaths in the state of Texas recently. White-nose syndrome is a disease in bats that infects hibernating bats causing fungus to grow on their bodies. This causes them to wake up from hibernation and can end up making them starve to death. The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome was first detected in Texas in 2017 but no confirmed cases of WNS were confirmed until now.

White-nose syndrome has been causing millions of bat deaths across the United States and biologists are seeking answers on how to combat the deadly disease. Luckily, this disease is not one that is able to be passed on to humans, so residents of Texas can rest easy about that. Scientists are seeing more and more cases of the disease in all species of bats, it is not more likely to be found in one type or in one area of the country.

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Fatal Fungal Disease Linked to Millions of Bat Deaths

A deadly fungal disease responsible for the deaths of millions of bats across the U.S. has been confirmed in Texas for the first time.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease in bats caused by a cold-loving fungus known as Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which infects the skin on the muzzle, ear and wings of hibernating bats. Infected bats have obvious fungal growth on their body, but may also behave erratically both inside and outside of caves during the winter when they should be hibernating, according to the White-Nose Syndrome Response Team. Read more