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Washington expands bat vaccine and probiotic trials after white‑nose syndrome detections
Summary
Agency scientists briefed the wildlife committee on white‑nose syndrome in Washington bats — first found in 2016 and now confirmed in more than 350 cases — and described ongoing vaccine work with USGS and a probiotic pilot that shows preliminary correlation with reduced fungus on bat wings.
Dr. Hayman told the Wildlife Committee that white‑nose syndrome (caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans) poses a major threat to hibernating bats and that Washington has confirmed more than 350 cases across multiple species since the first state detection in 2016.
"We have been doing a pilot probiotic study...based on the preliminary data has been a significant correlation with the presence of the probiotic or the bacteria in the probiotic on the wings of bats and PD," Dr. Hayman said, describing a probiotic application to summer roosts intended to transfer beneficial microbes to bats prior to hibernation.
Staff explained that Washington's hibernation ecology differs from eastern North America — the state lacks very large cave hibernacula — which limits winter surveillance and makes summer mitigation and maternity‑colony monitoring especially important. The department described two mitigation approaches underway: a vaccine developed by the U.S. Geological Survey that has shown efficacy in trials, and a probiotic (a mixture of locally sourced microbes) that has been applied to selected summer roost sites in pilot studies. The agency said it is coordinating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partners to scale vaccine application where appropriate.
Presenters noted colony collapses observed elsewhere and showed local colony counts that illustrate the potential magnitude of impact; one example charted a maternity colony decline from roughly 1,000 bats to fewer than 15 individuals after the arrival of white‑nose syndrome. Department staff emphasized community engagement, citizen science reporting of colonies and the need for years of baseline data to interpret trends.
The department said long‑term survivorship and vaccine efficacy analyses are still in progress and that the probiotic's final effectiveness will be evaluated at the end of the pilot; both approaches are presented as tools to increase resilience while surveillance and research continue.
