Assessing the threat of bat-associated fungal pathogens

Autor: Samantha C. Karunarathna, Danny Haelewaters, Michail S. Lionakis, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Xu Jianchu, Alice C. Hughes, Peter E. Mortimer
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: One Health, Vol 16, Iss , Pp 100553- (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2352-7714
DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100553
Popis: Fungal pathogens have become an increasingly important topic in recent decades. Yet whilst various cankers and blights have gained attention in temperate woodlands and crops, the scope for fungal pathogens of animals and their potential threat has received far less attention. With a shifting climate, the threat from fungal pathogens is predicted to increase in the future, thus understanding the spread of fungi over landscapes as well as taxa that may be at risk is of particular importance. Cave ecosystems provide potential refugia for various fungi, and roosts for bats. With their well vascularized wings and wide-ranging distributions, bats present potential fungal vectors. Furthermore, whilst bat immune systems are generally robust to bacterial and viral pathogens, they can be susceptible to fungal pathogens, particularly during periods of stress such as hibernation. Here we explore why bats are important and interesting vectors for fungi across landscapes and discuss knowledge gaps that require further research.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals