Genomic tools reveal health insights for endangered Indiana bats

How do wildlife researchers know when an endangered population is sick? They can detect infectious microbes in animal waste, but the presence of a microbe doesn't always equate to impactful symptomatic infections. In a new study, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have used advanced molecular tools to survey the health status of endangered Indiana bats, identifying microbiome changes resulting from parasitic infections.