Education and/or Training

B.S.	1993	University of Minnesota - Minneapolis	Biology
Ph.D.	1999	University of Wisconsin – Madison	Bacteriology

Areas of Specialization and or Research Interests

Microbiology
Molecular Biology

Current USGS Research and Projects

Investigation of bat mortality in the northeastern U.S. caused by white-nose syndrome
Molecular epidemiology of avian cholera in North America
Molecular phylogeny of watermolds
Development and validation of fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology for the detection of types C and E botulinum neurotoxins in biological and environmental samples
Ecological immunology and pathogen resistance of amphibians in stressed Great Lakes ecosystems

Professional Experience

2003 – Present	Microbiologist, National Wildlife Health Center
1999 – 2003	Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health
1993 – 1999	Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Bacteriology

Selected Publications

Lorch, J.M., C.U. Meteyer, M.J. Behr, J.G. Boyles, P.M. Cryan, A.C. Hicks, A.E. Ballmann, J.T.H. Coleman, D. Redell, D.M. Reeder, and D.S. Blehert. 2011. Experimental infection of bats with Geomyces destructans causes white-nose syndrome. Nature: 10.1038/nature10590.

Piazza, T.M., D.S. Blehert, F.M. Dunning, B.M. Berlowski-Zier, F.N. Zeytin, M.D. Samuel, and W.C. Tucker. 2011. In vitro detection and quantification of botulinum neurotoxin type E activity in avian blood. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 77: 7815-7822.

Meteyer, C.U., M. Valent, J. Kashmer, E.L. Buckles, J.M. Lorch, D.S. Blehert, A. Lollar, D. Berndt, E. Wheeler, C.L. White, and A.E. Ballmann. 2011. Recovery of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from natural infection with Geomyces destructans, white-nose syndrome. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 47: 618-626.

Blehert, D.S., J.M. Lorch, A.E. Ballmann, P.M. Cryan, and C.U. Meteyer. 2011. Bat white-nose syndrome in North America. Microbe 6: 267-273.

Cryan, P.M., C.U. Meteyer, J.G. Boyles, and D.S. Blehert. 2010. Wing pathology of white-nose syndrome in bats suggests life-threatening disruption of physiology. BMC Biology 8: 135. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-8-135.

Lindner, D.L., A. Gargas, J.M. Lorch, M.T. Banik, J. Glaeser, T.H. Kunz, and D.S. Blehert*. 2011. DNA-based detection of the fungal pathogen Geomyces destructans in soil from bat hibernation sites. Mycologia 103: 241-246 (*corresponding author).

Moraska Lafrancois, B., S.C. Riley, D.S. Blehert, and A. Ballmann. 2010. Links between type E botulism outbreaks, lake levels, and surface water temperatures in Lake Michigan, 1963-2008. Journal of Great Lakes Research 37: 86-91.

Wibbelt, G., A. Kurth, D. Hellmann, M. Weishaar, A. Barlow, M. Veith, J. Prüger, T. Görföl, T. Grosche, F. Bontadina, U. Zöphel, H-P. Seidl, P.M. Cryan, and D.S. Blehert. 2010. White-nose Syndrome Fungus (Geomyces destructans) in Bats, Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases 16: 1237-1242.

Fleskes, J.P., D.M. Mauser, J.L. Yee, D.S. Blehert, and G.S. Yarris. 2010. Flightless and post-molt survival and movements of female mallards molting in Klamath Basin. Waterbirds 33: 208-220.

Lorch, J.M., A. Gargas, C.U. Meteyer, B.M. Berlowski-Zier, D.E. Green, V. Shearn-Bochsler, N.J. Thomas, and D.S. Blehert*. 2010. Rapid polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of white-nose syndrome in bats. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 22: 224-230 (*corresponding author).

Work, T.M., J.L. Klavitter, M.H. Reynolds, and D.S. Blehert. 2010. Avian botulism: A case study in translocated endangered Laysan ducks (Anas laysanensis) on Midway Atoll. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46. 499-506 (*cover article).

Gargas, A., M.T. Trest, M. Christensen, T.J. Volk, and D.S. Blehert*. 2009. Geomyces destructans sp. nov. associated with bat white-nose syndrome. Mycotaxon 108: 147-154 (*corresponding author).

Meteyer C.U., E.L. Buckles, D.S. Blehert, A.C. Hicks, D.E. Green, V. Shearn-Bochsler, N.J. Thomas, A. Gargas, and M.J. Behr. 2009. Pathology criteria for confirming white-nose syndrome in bats. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 21: 411-414.

Constantine, D.G. 2009. Bat rabies and other lyssavirus infections. D.S. Blehert, ed.: Reston, VA, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1329 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1329/).

Blehert, D.S.*, A.C. Hicks, M. Behr, C.U. Meteyer, B.M. Berlowski-Zier, E.L. Buckles, J.T.H. Coleman, S.R. Darling, A. Gargas, R. Niver, J.C. Okoniewski, R.J. Rudd, and W.B. Stone. 2009. Bat white-nose syndrome: An emerging fungal pathogen? Science 323: 227 (*corresponding author).

Blehert, D.S.*, K.L. Jefferson, D.M. Heisey, M.D. Samuel, B.M. Berlowski, and D.J. Shadduck. 2008. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis to differentiate isolates of Pasteurella multocida Serotype 1. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 44: 209-225 (*corresponding author).