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White-nose syndrome confirmed in bats in Des Moines County, Iowa

It has recently been associated with bats at the Maquoketa Caves, and now the disease that has killed millions of bats threatens them in Des Moines County, Iowa.
bats

It has recently been associated with bats at the Maquoketa Caves, and now the disease that has killed millions of bats threatens them in Des Moines County, Iowa.

“Three bats collected in Des Moines County were confirmed to have white-nose syndrome,” said a statement from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  “Two little brown bats and one northern long-eared bat observed near a cave entrance showed visible signs of WNS during monitoring for the disease.”  No signs of WNS were seen at that site when it was checked in February 2014.

The fungus that causes the syndrome was also found on samples collected from the cave, and federal authorities later confirmed the cases were white-nose syndrome.

“WNS was also confirmed in four little brown bats collected in Van Buren County this winter after a concerned citizen reported bats flying around outside,” the DNR statement said.

WNS can cause bats to awaken too soon or too frequently during winter hibernation, resulting in them starving or freezing to death.  Although it is usually spread from bat to bat, fungal spores could be carried on clothing and caving gear worn and carried by humans.

More than 95 percent of bats in infected caves have reportedly died.

WNS does not pose a known threat to humans, pets or livestock.

 

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