In the world of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses, the planet is growing ever more interconnected, and possibly ill, say some researchers meeting in Flagstaff.

Take six species of New England bats, newly affected by a fungus that spreads during winter hibernation.

It causes wings to deteriorate and the bats to die en masse, creating the worst mortality rate the world's bats have ever seen, said David Blehert, of U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center.

It's expected to sweep from New York to possibly Tennessee and the Midwest within a few years.

That fungus might have been imported here from Europe, which has different bats that have built up more immunity and don't die from it as easily.

These are some of the types of questions probed by researchers like Jeff Foster and Paul Keim at the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics at Northern Arizona University.

Researchers gathering in Flagstaff last week described new and changing threats to coral reefs, local birds and even prairie dogs as a result of multiple factors.

It was a conference to share research on the Colorado Plateau, and farther.

It's likely the overlaps between climate change, global commerce, inbreeding in small populations, introduced species, poor land management and domestic animals mingling with wildlife that all add up, Foster said.

These factors together have lead to what's thought to be an upswing in infectious disease affecting animals and ecosystems worldwide, being tracked at NAU's labs, and elsewhere.

So this may be a strong period for infectious diseases.

"They're certainly getting more opportunities now," Foster said.

Scientists are also getting better at detecting them.

TRACKING ANTHRAX

By sequencing entire genomes, the entire DNA of a species, researchers can use computers to track more data than ever before.

Think of the DNA code as letters in a book, Foster explains.

As that book gets reprinted, perhaps a typo slips in or a letter gets dropped. Maybe a word gets inserted out of order.

That's a good fit for describing genetic mutations in bacteria, or viruses, or animals.

"So we can see the ways that anthrax, for example, has been dispersed across the globe," Foster said.

Noting when that change occurs is the everyday research of the genomics lab at NAU, for both Homeland Security Department-funded forensic research in anthrax investigations, and for environmental data.

It helps researchers pinpoint what geographic location a strain of anthrax came from, for example, in a crime investigation.

But increasingly, these techniques could be used for research in conservation, Foster says.

CATTLE, YELLOWSTONE AND DISEASE

"There is often no cure for wildlife or ecosystems that become infected," Foster said.

The goal is largely to prevent infection from the start.

Foster looks at brucellosis, a bacterial disease that can be passed from infected cattle and goats through milk and cheese to humans in unpasteurized milk.

It's rare for people to acquire this in the U.S., but it causes aching joints and fever in the Middle East and Asia, where it is a huge issue, Foster says.

He's tracking the evolution of the disease, which pre-dates the domestication of cattle.

It's a big concern for cattle ranchers outside of Yellowstone, partly because pregnant cows will miscarry if infected. Foster's research could help agencies determine if their cattle are being infected by diseased elk or bison.

Foster's work might also help lead to a rapid test for the disease in wild or domesticated animals.

A DOWNSIDE OF GLOBAL COMMERCE

Small habitats, limited population sizes and global commerce can also combine to produce a population with no immunity to a disease, and fuel it.

The Tasmanian devil, for example, is an isolated population with lots of inbreeding and not much genetic diversity.

It was once hunted, and trapped, according to the country's wildlife service, and was not well-loved due to its fierce temper and nightly screeches.

Then it became an icon.

Now there's a national campaign in the Australian state of Tasmania to save the devil from a rampant disease causing tumors in the mouth and head.

The disease is killing the animals at rates of up to 90 percent in some areas, according to the government there.

Among the actions proposed: Hold and breed some Tasmanian devils in captivity, investigate the disease at a chromosomal level, and develop a vaccine.

Cyndy Cole can be reached at 913-8607 or at ccole@azdailysun.com.