Possible cure for White Nose Syndrome?

New York State health officials say they’ve identified chemical compounds that could help bats fight off White Nose Syndrome. This is the disease that’s killed hundreds of thousands—possibly millions—of bats across New York and the eastern U.S.

New York health commissioner Richard Daines says researchers identified what he called “safe chemical compounds” that can help fight off the cottony white substance that develops around an infected bat’s snout and wings.

Health department researchers identified a specific fungus believed to cause White Nose Syndrome.

These researchers found drugs used to treat common human infections—like athlete’s foot—were what they called “highly effective” in fighting White Nose in the lab.

We’ll have more this afternoon on All Before Five at 4:45.

Tags: environment