First white-nose syndrome case confirmed in Texas

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has confirmed a case of white-nose syndrome in a Texas bat for the first time. Although the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes the disease,was first found in the state in 2017, biologists had not found the disease itself. “Finding WNS in Central Texas for the first time is definitely concerning,” said Nathan Fuller, a bat specialist at TPWD. Biologists had hoped that white-nose syndrome, a disease that thrives in cold conditions, might not occur in warmer parts of Texas. When a cave myotis (Myotis velifer) was found dead in Central Texas, it was sent to the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center for testing. The bat tested positive for the fungus and a histopathology showed the bat had the disease. The department plans to check if this was an isolated incident or if other reports bats also prove to be white-nose syndrome.

Detections of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) in Texas in 2019.
Courtesy Texas Parks and Wildlife

Read more at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.