White Nose Syndrome Essay

In the southwest of the United states, coccidioides immitis and C posadasii, fungal pathogens that cause valley fever in humans, have usually been located in hot, dry states like California, Arizona, and Utah, but recently it has also moved to Washington State, which is considered a humid state. This situation shows how climate change is having an effect on this state by making it dryer and allowing these pathogens to habituate and spread here. Furthermore, in Arizona, the annual cases of valley fever increased from 33 to 43/100,000 people between 1998 and 2001 (Benjamin H., 2017). This was due to longer dry seasons caused by climate change, and windier storms that spread fungal spores.

White nose syndrome is a fungal disease that has been devastating North American bat populations since 2006. It is characterized by a white “fuzzy muzzle”, wing lesions, and mortality. The epidemic has killed over 6.7 million bats to date; yet the majority of hibernating bats are not listed on the Endangered Species Act. Pseudogymnoascus destructans is the fungal pathogen that is both psychrophilic and keratinophilic and it invades the bats at a time when they are actively suppressing respiration, have a slowed metabolism, lowered body temperature and a weakened immune system. Scientists have observed unusual flying patterns during hibernation periods. Early on physiological disturbances are proposed to take place causing the most impacted

In the United States many different parasitic organisms are causing tree epidemics, endangering the environment and health of their communities. One of the tree epidemics that has occurred was the Chestnut blight. The American Chestnut was a malleable resource used for its widely used wood and its chestnuts which fed animals and people alike. Its importance made the discovery of a fungus called Cryphonectria parasitica, also known as Chestnut blight, so devastating (Hebard). Importing of Japanese trees brought this Chestnut blight fungus to North American chestnuts and it had infected chestnuts throughout America by the early 1900’s. The Chestnut blight had killed over 3.5 billion trees by the 1940’s (Conolly). Today, mere dozens of healthy American Chestnuts live as a threatened species, while most American Chestnuts grow from the roots of trees already killed by the Chestnut blight, passing the Chestnut blight fungus to the new growing trees preventing them from living nearly as long as American Chestnuts used to (Horton).

Every superhero has a villain; Superman has Lex Luthor, the Flash has Professor Zoom, and Batman has the Joker. These arch enemies can be beaten. Our real life bats have a villain of their own, but it is not quite so easily vanquished. Who is this villain you might ask? It’s not a who, but a what: White Nose Syndrome. White Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease found in bats in the last ten years that is wiping out bat populations and threatens the extinction of certain species.

A few bats in the home can slowly turn into a full-blown colony, which results in a larger pile of guano in the home and around their exits and entrances. This can increase the chance of the airborne fungus Histoplasma capsulatum being carried throughout the home. You might end up inadvertently breathing it in through natural air circulation.

Bats are among the most threatened land mammals in North America, with over half the species either listed as threatened or endangered or candidates to become listed. The Lesser long-nosed bat (LNB, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) was proposed for listing as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987 and the final ruling was published in 1988, without a designation of critical habitat. (intro)

Since 2006, the population of bats have decreased significantly due to the white nose syndrome (WNS) first found in northeastern United States. This complication is due to the growth of white fungus on the nose, ears and wings of bats (Blehert, et al, 2009). The fungus responsible for WNS is called Geomyces destructas. The fungus attacks and spreads in various bat species due to the favourable cold conditions during hibernation. The infection causes a stimulation in the bats, using up their stored energy so they don’t have enough to last them throughout the winter resulting in death (Fenton, 2012).

If you are a male and you are over the age of thirty, listen up, you may have fallen victim to excessive nasal hair growth! Unruly and un-kept hair protruding from your nose can create a bad first impression. Since first impressions are extremely important and most people look at your face when you first meet, keeping your nose hairs trimmed can help you avoid unneeded embarrassment. If you are aware that your nasal hair is out of control, the nostril hair clipper is a handy device to help you keep your nose hair trimmed. If you are unsure whether or not you have nose hair protruding from your nose, take a look in the mirror and inspect your nasal passage or ask help from someone you know and trust.

Unfortunately, during the 21st century, some bats from parts of North America was affected from the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which came about the disease white nose fungus. The white nose fungus infects ears, wings, and

Hospitalizations due to asthma is a major health issue for Hillsborough County, Florida and was identified as being in the least favorable health category (Florida Department of Health, 2015). Hillsborough County had a rate of 1,096.2 asthma hospitalizations per 100,000 people in 2015 which was higher than the rate for the state of Florida and the top United States performers (Florida Department of Health, 2015). The purpose of this paper is to identify a community-based program to reduce the rate of asthma hospitalizations in an underprivileged community. Background information is identified about the East Tampa community including demographics, socioeconomic factors, and the national and

Due to its carnal attachment to the body, mucous does not require theory to think it through, but rather necessitates a hypothetical marriage to its dichotomy of valid action. Mucous assumes the character of a catalyst in procedures associated with life, such as breathing, eating, eliminating waste, conceiving, gestation and giving birth. “The mucous, in fact, is experienced from within, in the prenatal and loving night known by both sexes. But it is far more important in setting up the intimacy of bodily perception and its threshold for women.” It is believed that of all occurrences concerning the human anatomy, it is sex that most deeply influences one’s experience of space, or their capacity to conceive the absent space existing between

One of the most common complaints that doctors get from their patients is a congested nose. Nasal congestion refers to the blockage of the nasal passages normally due to swollen membrane lining of the nose. This may be caused common cold, an allergic reaction, inflammation of the sinus, etc. A stuffy nose means much more than just discomfort; one is forced to breathe through the mouth, as a result the patient gets exposed to dangers of impurities usually present in the air.

rostratum is typically nonpathogenic and is commonly found in the environment. Under normal conditions, the dematiaceous fungus lives in the soil and only causes disease in plants. It contains high levels of melanin and is brown or black in appearance. E. rostratum causes disease in plants, such as leaf spot, blight, and rot (Gauthier, 2013). This fungus rarely causes disease in humans. The Katragkou literature review of 2014 used forty-eight published cases of Exserohilum infections. Another literature review found 33 cases between 1950 and 2006 (Adler, 2006). The majority of infections were in immunocompromised patients of related to trauma (Adler 2006, Katragkou, 2014). Only nine of the 48 cases used for the Katragkou study had no underlying condition (Katragko, 2014). Both studies found a majority of infections impacted the skin, cornea, lungs, or sinuses (Adler, 2006; Katragkou, 2014). Infections most commonly occur in India, Israel, and the United States (Adler, 2006; Katragkou,

The most common organisms associated with adult bacteria rhinosinusitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenza (Arcangelo, 2013). These organisms are the normal flora seen in healthy individuals, when over populated, they invade the sinuses, causing acute rhinosinusitis. Morazella catarrhalis is mostly seen in children. Other less frequently seen organisms are A Streptococcus, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes (Arcangelo, 2013).

Organizations and Scientists has been conducting research on the cause of the WNS in bats and symptoms of WNS. The white fungus that appears on hibernating bats thrives in moist and cold environment, such as bat caves, and feeds off the bats skin. “This interrupts bats hibernation and causes it to consume energy until it starves” (SOURCE2). Infected bats don’t survive through the winter season. Evidence of the deadly impact of WNS has been shown during survey data of hibernating bats conducted under the environmental preservation in NYC. (SOURCE 6) Scientists look for a pattern of skin erosion caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructas, to figure out if bats are affected with WNS. (USGS) Many symptoms has been seen with infected bats. “They show