0580381 - ÚBO 2024 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Pikula, J. - Brichta, J. - Seidlová, V. - Piaček, V. - Zukal, Jan
Higher antibody titres against Pseudogymnoascus destructans are associated with less white-nose syndrome skin lesions in Palearctic bats.
Frontiers in Immunology. Roč. 14, DEC (2023), č. článku 1269526. ISSN 1664-3224. E-ISSN 1664-3224
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : emerging wildlife infection * adaptive antifungal immunity * disease severity * indirect ELISA * antibody prevalence * Myotis bat species
OECD category: Veterinary science
Impact factor: 5.7, year: 2023 ; AIS: 1.69, rok: 2023
Method of publishing: Open access
Result website:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269526/fullDOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269526

Introduction: Serological tests can be used to test whether an animal has been exposed to an infectious agent, and whether its immune system has recognized and produced antibodies against it. Paired samples taken several weeks apart then document an ongoing infection and/or seroconversion.
Methods: In the absence of a commercial kit, we developed an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the fungus-specific antibodies for Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the agent of white-nose syndrome in bats.
Results and Discussion: Samples collected from European Myotis myotis (n=35) and Asian Myotis dasycneme (n=11) in their hibernacula at the end of the hibernation period displayed 100% seroprevalence of antibodies against P. destructans, demonstrating a high rate of exposure. Our results showed that the higher the titre of antibodies against P. destructans, the lower the infection intensity, suggesting that a degree of protection is provided by this arm of adaptive immunity in Palearctic bats. Moreover, P. destructans infection appears to be a seasonally self-limiting disease of Palearctic bats showing seroconversion as the WNS skin lesions heal in the early post-hibernation period.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0349160