David S Blehert
David Blehert is Chief of the National Wildlife Health Center's Laboratory Sciences Branch
David Blehert received a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999, and he joined the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) as a Diagnostic and Research Microbiologist in 2003. His research focuses on investigation of the ecology and pathobiology of bat white-nose syndrome. Today, Dr. Blehert is Chief of the NWHC's Laboratory Sciences Branch, which specializes in the investigation of unusual mortality events impacting our nation's wildlife. His laboratories also conduct surveillance for animal diseases of high consequence, such as white-nose syndrome in bats and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in wild waterfowl.
Professional Experience
2014 to present, Chief, Laboratory Sciences Branch, U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin
2003-2014, Diagnostic and Research Microbiologist, U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin
1999 to 2003, Intramural Research Training Associate Fellow, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1999
B.S. Biology, University of Minnesota-Minneapolis St. Paul, 1993
Affiliations and Memberships*
Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology. Elected in February, 2020.
Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. CIFAR Program Fungal Kingdom: Threats and Opportunities. Elected in June, 2019.
Honorary Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiological Sciences. 2003-2018.
Member, Wildlife Disease Association. 2006-present.
Member, American Society for Microbiology. 1995-present.
Science and Products
Skin fungal assemblages of bats vary based on susceptibility to white-nose syndrome
Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats
Assessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment
Validation of laboratory tests for infectious diseases in wild mammals: Review and recommendations
Threats posed by the Fungal Kingdom to humans, wildlife, and agriculture
Long-term survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans at elevated temperatures
Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network
Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome
Malassezia vespertilionis sp. nov.: A new cold-tolerant species of yeast isolated from bats
Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: Implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome
Phylogenetics of a fungal invasion: Origins and widespread dispersal of white-nose syndrome
Dispersal hazards of Pseudogymnoascus destructans by bats and human activity at hibernacula in summer
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Skin fungal assemblages of bats vary based on susceptibility to white-nose syndrome
Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats
Assessing the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 in and via North American bats — Decision framing and rapid risk assessment
Validation of laboratory tests for infectious diseases in wild mammals: Review and recommendations
Threats posed by the Fungal Kingdom to humans, wildlife, and agriculture
Long-term survival of Pseudogymnoascus destructans at elevated temperatures
Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network
Experimental infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome
Malassezia vespertilionis sp. nov.: A new cold-tolerant species of yeast isolated from bats
Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: Implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome
Phylogenetics of a fungal invasion: Origins and widespread dispersal of white-nose syndrome
Dispersal hazards of Pseudogymnoascus destructans by bats and human activity at hibernacula in summer
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government