Abstract
White-nose syndrome is a disease of hibernating insectivorous bats associated with the fungus Geomyces destructans. In Europe, it was first identified in France in 2009.
Its distribution, infection dynamics, and effects on hibernating bats in Europe are largely unknown. We screened hibernacula in the Czech Republic and Slovakia since 2008/2009.
In winter 2009/2010, we found infected bats in 76 out of 98 surveyed sites. A photographic record of over 6000 hibernating bats revealed bats with fungal growths since 1995; however, the incidence of such bats increased up to 14% by 2010.
We confirmed the identity of the recently sampled fungus as G. destructans. At the end of the hibernation season we recorded pathologic changes in the skin of the affected bats, from which the fungus was isolated.
We registered no mass mortality. Further development of the situation urgently requires a detailed pan-European monitoring scheme.