News Finding: If scientists can develop an effective treatment, for example, this study indicates that the best time to apply it would probably be early winter, Langwig said.
Paper Finding: Therefore, applying treatments that reduce or clear infection during the autumn and early winter would be most effective for reducing transmission, impacts and spread to new sites.
News Context: The study provides valuable information for planning strategies to manage white-nose syndrome. If scientists can develop an effective treatment, for example, this study indicates that the best time to apply it would probably be early winter, Langwig said. Then they plan to use the most promising bacteria as a treatment to see if it can help bats survive through the winter.
Paper Context: When bats first become infected with P. destructans, loads, and therefore tissue invasion and damage, are relatively low. Therefore, applying treatments that reduce or clear infection during the autumn and early winter would be most effective for reducing transmission, impacts and spread to new sites. However, if treatments offer only short-term protection, our data suggest that treated bats will probably be rapidly re-infected upon return to natural environments owing to exceedingly high infection prevalence in other hosts.