BCT Bat Worker Bulletin no.31 - 3rd July 2009

1. SNH releases latest bat lyssavirus monitoring result  

The latest results of SNH’s European bat lyssavirus (EBLV) active surveillance programme have been released today. In 2008, EBLV type 2 was detected in a single, live Daubenton’s bat in Perthshire for the first time. A second Natterer’s bat also tested positive for EBLV type 1 antibodies. The presence of antibodies indicates exposure to the virus, but no live EBLV type 1 virus has been found in the UK.  

SNH press release and BCT’s response the finding can be found at:
http://www.snh.org.uk/press/detail.asp?id=2104 and
http://www.bats.org.uk/news.php/54/bct_response_to_the_latest_snh_bat_lyssavirus_monitoring_results.

2. Results from the 08/09 white-nose syndrome surveillance forms 

Thanks to everyone who retuned white nose syndrome forms to Sarah Ford following the 08-09 hibernation checks. We received feedback from 42 bat workers covering 114+ sites around the UK.  

In SW England, we received two separate reports of dead bats with white fungus over the winter season. In both cases, bats were submitted for testing and, in both cases, results where negative (the fungus was not of the genus Geomyces).  White fungus was found on small number of dead bats in isolated cases elsewhere in the country, but the specimens were too decomposed to test. In expert opinion, these cases were very unlikely to have been associated with white-nose syndrome. We still have no confirmed cases of white nose syndrome in the UK or Europe.