Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
|---|
| rapid response to evaluate the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and ranavirus in wild amphibian populations in madagascar. | we performed a rapid response investigation to evaluate the presence and distribution of amphibian pathogens in madagascar following our identification of amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, bd) and ranavirus in commercially exported amphibians. this targeted risk-based field surveillance program was conducted from february to april 2014 encompassing 12 regions and 47 survey sites. we simultaneously collected amphibian and environmental samples to increase survey sensitivit ... | 2015 | 26083349 |
| american bullfrogs (lithobates catesbeianus) resist infection by multiple isolates of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, including one implicated in wild mass mortality. | the emerging amphibian disease chytridiomycosis varies in severity depending on host species. within species, disease susceptibility can also be influenced by pathogen variation and environmental factors. here, we report on experimental exposures of american bullfrogs (lithobates catesbeianus) to three different isolates of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), including one implicated in causing mass mortality of wild american bullfrogs. exposed frogs showed low infection prevalence, relatively ... | 2015 | 26065669 |
| condition-dependent reproductive effort in frogs infected by a widespread pathogen. | to minimize the negative effects of an infection on fitness, hosts can respond adaptively by altering their reproductive effort or by adjusting their timing of reproduction. we studied effects of the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on the probability of calling in a stream-breeding rainforest frog (litoria rheocola). in uninfected frogs, calling probability was relatively constant across seasons and body conditions, but in infected frogs, calling probability differed among seaso ... | 2015 | 26063847 |
| cardiac adaptations of bullfrog tadpoles in response to chytrid infection. | the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) can result in heart failure in bd-susceptible species. since bd infection generally does not cause mortality in north american bullfrogs, the aim of this work was to verify whether this species presents any cardiac adaptation that could improve the tolerance to the fungus. thus, we analyzed tadpoles' activity level, relative ventricular mass, ventricle morphology, in loco heart frequency, and in vitro cardiac function. the results indicate t ... | 2015 | 26055358 |
| quantitative proteomics of an amphibian pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, following exposure to thyroid hormone. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), a chytrid fungus, has increasingly been implicated as a major factor in the worldwide decline of amphibian populations. the fungus causes chytridiomycosis in susceptible species leading to massive die-offs of adult amphibians. although bd infects the keratinized mouthparts of tadpoles and negatively affects foraging behavior, these infections are non-lethal. an important morphogen controlling amphibian metamorphosis is thyroid hormone (t3). tadpoles may be in ... | 2015 | 26046527 |
| host species vary in infection probability, sub-lethal effects, and costs of immune response when exposed to an amphibian parasite. | the amphibian parasite batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is regarded as an extreme generalist, infecting over 500 species, but amongst these hosts there exists a great deal of variation in the susceptibility to and the costs of parasite exposure. we use two infection experiments to determine whether inter-specific variation in the sublethal and lethal effects of parasite exposure exist in two host species. we then tested the relative roles of host density and diversity on infection probability ... | 2015 | 26022346 |
| seasonal ecology and behavior of an endangered rainforest frog (litoria rheocola) threatened by disease. | one of the most devastating wildlife diseases ever recorded is chytridiomycosis, a recently emerged amphibian disease that is caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. understanding, predicting, and managing the impacts of chytridiomycosis on any amphibian species will require detailed information on its ecology and behavior because this pathogen is transmitted by contact with water or other individuals, and pathogen growth rates are thermally sensitive. the common mistfrog (l ... | 2015 | 25993520 |
| chytridiomycosis in dwarf african frogs hymenochirus curtipes. | chytridiomycosis, resulting from an infection with the fungal agent batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), has resulted in widespread population declines in both wild and captive amphibians. the dwarf african frog (daf) hymenochirus curtipes is native to central africa and is commonly sold throughout north america as an aquarium pet species. here we document fatal chytridiomycosis resulting from cutaneous bd infections in daf purchased directly from a pet store and from a historical lethal epizoot ... | 2015 | 25958807 |
| chytrid fungus acts as a generalist pathogen infecting species-rich amphibian families in brazilian rainforests. | the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is among the main causes of declines in amphibian populations. this fungus is considered a generalist pathogen because it infects several species and spreads rapidly in the wild. to date, bd has been detected in more than 100 anuran species in brazil, mostly in the southern portion of the atlantic forest. here, we report survey data from some poorly explored regions; these data considerably extend current information on the distribution of bd in the ... | 2015 | 25958806 |
| terrestrial dispersal and potential environmental transmission of the amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). | dispersal and exposure to amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, bd) is not confined to the aquatic habitat, but little is known about pathways that facilitate exposure to wild terrestrial amphibians that do not typically enter bodies of water. we explored the possible spread of bd from an aquatic reservoir to terrestrial substrates by the emergence of recently metamorphosed infected amphibians and potential deposition of bd-positive residue on riparian vegetation in cusuco na ... | 2015 | 25927835 |
| the effects of a fungicide and chytrid fungus on anuran larvae in aquatic mesocosms. | the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), has been linked to significant amphibian declines over the past three decades. the most severe effects of the pathogen have been primarily observed in relatively pristine areas that are not affected by many anthropogenic factors.one hypothesis concerning improved amphibian persistence with bd in disturbed landscapes is that contaminants may abate the effects of bd on amphibians. recent la ... | 2015 | 25913318 |
| widespread occurrence of bd in french guiana, south america. | the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is a purported agent of decline and extinction of many amphibian populations worldwide. its occurrence remains poorly documented in many tropical regions, including the guiana shield, despite the area's high amphibian diversity. we conducted a comprehensive assessment of bd in french guiana in order to (1) determine its geographical distribution, (2) test variation of bd prevalence among species in french guiana and compare it to e ... | 2015 | 25902035 |
| host species composition influences infection severity among amphibians in the absence of spillover transmission. | wildlife epidemiological outcomes can depend strongly on the composition of an ecological community, particularly when multiple host species are affected by the same pathogen. however, the relationship between host species richness and disease risk can vary with community context and with the degree of spillover transmission that occurs among co-occurring host species. we examined the degree to which host species composition influences infection by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), a widespre ... | 2015 | 25897383 |
| elevated corticosterone levels and changes in amphibian behavior are associated with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) infection and bd lineage. | few studies have examined the role hormones play in mediating clinical changes associated with infection by the parasite batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). glucocorticoid (gc) hormones such as corticosteroids (cort) regulate homeostasis and likely play a key role in response to infection in amphibians. we explore the relationship between cort release rates and bd infection in tadpoles of the common midwife toad, alytes obstetricians, using a non-invasive water-borne hormone collection method a ... | 2015 | 25893675 |
| predicting the potential distribution of the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in east and southeast asia. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is the pathogen responsible for chytridiomycosis, a disease that is associated with a worldwide amphibian population decline. in this study, we predicted the potential distribution of bd in east and southeast asia based on limited occurrence data. our goal was to design an effective survey area where efforts to detect the pathogen can be focused. we generated ecological niche models using the maximum-entropy approach, with alleviation of multicollinearity and ... | 2015 | 25850395 |
| chytrid fungus infections in laboratory and introduced xenopus laevis populations: assessing the risks for u.k. native amphibians. | the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is notorious amongst current conservation biology challenges, responsible for mass mortality and extinction of amphibian species. world trade in amphibians is implicated in global dissemination. exports of south african xenopus laevis have led to establishment of this invasive species on four continents. bd naturally infects this host in africa and now occurs in several introduced populations. however, no previous studies have investigated t ... | 2015 | 25843959 |
| amphibian symbiotic bacteria do not show a universal ability to inhibit growth of the global panzootic lineage of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | microbiomes associated with multicellular organisms influence the disease susceptibility of hosts. the potential exists for such bacteria to protect wildlife from infectious diseases, particularly in the case of the globally distributed and highly virulent fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis of the global panzootic lineage (b. dendrobatidis gpl), responsible for mass extinctions and population declines of amphibians. b. dendrobatidis gpl exhibits wide genotypic and virulence variation ... | 2015 | 25819964 |
| characterization of the carbohydrate binding module 18 gene family in the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is the causative agent of chytridiomycosis responsible for worldwide decline in amphibian populations. previous analysis of the bd genome revealed a unique expansion of the carbohydrate-binding module family 18 (cbm18) predicted to be a sub-class of chitin recognition domains. cbm expansions have been linked to the evolution of pathogenicity in a variety of fungal species by protecting the fungus from the host. based on phylogenetic analysis and presence of ad ... | 2015 | 25819009 |
| susceptibility of amphibians to chytridiomycosis is associated with mhc class ii conformation. | the pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) can cause precipitous population declines in its amphibian hosts. responses of individuals to infection vary greatly with the capacity of their immune system to respond to the pathogen. we used a combination of comparative and experimental approaches to identify major histocompatibility complex class ii (mhc-ii) alleles encoding molecules that foster the survival of bd-infected amphibians. we found that bd-resistant amphibians acr ... | 2015 | 25808889 |
| short term minimum water temperatures determine levels of infection by the amphibian chytrid fungus in alytes obstetricans tadpoles. | amphibians are one of the groups of wildlife most seriously threatened by emerging infectious disease. in particular, chytridiomycosis, caused by the aquatic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is responsible for amphibian species declines on a worldwide scale. population-level outcomes following the introduction of the pathogen are context dependent and mediated by a large suite of abiotic and biotic variables. in particular, studies have shown that temperature has a key role in determining ... | 2015 | 25793985 |
| composition of symbiotic bacteria predicts survival in panamanian golden frogs infected with a lethal fungus. | symbiotic microbes can dramatically impact host health and fitness, and recent research in a diversity of systems suggests that different symbiont community structures may result in distinct outcomes for the host. in amphibians, some symbiotic skin bacteria produce metabolites that inhibit the growth of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), a cutaneous fungal pathogen that has caused many amphibian population declines and extinctions. treatment with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) prevents bd in ... | 2015 | 25788591 |
| white-nose syndrome fungus introduced from europe to north america. | the investigation of factors underlying the emergence of fungal diseases in wildlife has gained significance as a consequence of drastic declines in amphibians, where the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has caused the greatest disease-driven loss of biodiversity ever documented [1]. identification of the causative agent and its origin (native versus introduced) is a crucial step in understanding and controlling a disease [2]. whereas genetic studies on the origin of b. dendrobatidis have i ... | 2015 | 25784035 |
| amphibian pathogens at northern latitudes: presence of chytrid fungus and ranavirus in northeastern canada. | infections by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and members of the genus ranavirus (rv) are increasingly reported as significant determinants of amphibian population die-offs. the complexity associated with their transmission and spatial distribution leads to an increase in demand for comprehensive reporting systems and global mapping of their distribution. here, we document the distribution of these 2 pathogens in a remote northern temperate lowland where environmental sen ... | 2015 | 25751857 |
| early 1900 s detection of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in korean amphibians. | the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is a major conservation concern because of its role in decimating amphibian populations worldwide. we used quantitative pcr to screen 244 museum specimens from the korean peninsula, collected between 1911 and 2004, for the presence of bd to gain insight into its history in asia. three specimens of rugosa emeljanovi (previously rana or glandirana rugosa), collected in 1911 from wonsan, north korea, tested positive for bd. histology of thes ... | 2015 | 25738656 |
| phylogenetic distribution of symbiotic bacteria from panamanian amphibians that inhibit growth of the lethal fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | the introduction of next-generation sequencing has allowed for greater understanding of community composition of symbiotic microbial communities. however, determining the function of individual members of these microbial communities still largely relies on culture-based methods. here, we present results on the phylogenetic distribution of a defensive functional trait of cultured symbiotic bacteria associated with amphibians. amphibians are host to a diverse community of cutaneous bacteria and so ... | 2015 | 25737297 |
| widespread presence of the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in wild amphibian communities in madagascar. | amphibian chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), has been a significant driver of amphibian declines. while globally widespread, bd had not yet been reported from within madagascar. we document surveys conducted across the country between 2005 and 2014, showing bd's first record in 2010. subsequently, bd was detected in multiple areas, with prevalence reaching up to 100%. detection of bd appears to be associated with mid to high ... | 2015 | 25719857 |
| pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, but not b. salamandrivorans, detected on eastern hellbenders. | recent worldwide declines and extinctions of amphibian populations have been attributed to chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). until recently, bd was thought to be the only batrachochytrium species that infects amphibians; however a newly described species, batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (bs), is linked to die-offs in european fire salamanders (salamandra salamandra). little is known about the distribution, host range, or origin of ... | 2015 | 25695636 |
| variation in the presence of anti-batrachochytrium dendrobatidis bacteria of amphibians across life stages and elevations in ecuador. | amphibian populations are decreasing worldwide due to a variety of factors. in south america, the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is linked to many population declines. the pathogenic effect of bd on amphibians can be inhibited by specific bacteria present on host skin. this symbiotic association allows some amphibians to resist the development of the disease chytridiomycosis. here, we aimed (1) to determine for the first time if specific anti-bd bacteria are present on amphib ... | 2015 | 25669915 |
| coqui frogs persist with the deadly chytrid fungus despite a lack of defensive antimicrobial peptides. | the amphibian skin fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) occurs widely in puerto rico and is thought to be responsible for the apparent extinction of 3 species of endemic frogs in the genus eleutherodactylus, known as coquis. to examine immune defenses which may protect surviving species, we induced secretion of skin peptides from adult common coqui frogs e. coqui collected from upland forests at el yunque. by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (maldi-tof) mass spect ... | 2015 | 25667340 |
| differential efficiency among dna extraction methods influences detection of the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is responsible for massive declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. the most common method for detecting bd is quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qpcr). qpcr is a highly sensitive detection technique, but its ability to determine the presence and accurately quantify the amount of bd is also contingent on the efficiency of the dna extraction method used prior to pcr. using qpcr, we compared the extr ... | 2015 | 25667331 |
| development of antimicrobial peptide defenses of southern leopard frogs, rana sphenocephala, against the pathogenic chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | amphibian species face the growing threat of extinction due to the emerging fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes the disease chytridiomycosis. antimicrobial peptides (amps) produced in granular glands of the skin are an important defense against this pathogen. little is known about the ontogeny of amp production or the impact of amps on potentially beneficial symbiotic skin bacteria. we show here that rana (lithobates) sphenocephala produces a mixture of four amps with ac ... | 2015 | 25218643 |
| amphibian chytridiomycosis: a review with focus on fungus-host interactions. | amphibian declines and extinctions are emblematic for the current sixth mass extinction event. infectious drivers of these declines include the recently emerged fungal pathogens batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (chytridiomycota). the skin disease caused by these fungi is named chytridiomycosis and affects the vital function of amphibian skin. not all amphibians respond equally to infection and host responses might range from resistant, over tolerant to suscept ... | 2015 | 26607488 |
| disentangling host, pathogen, and environmental determinants of a recently emerged wildlife disease: lessons from the first 15 years of amphibian chytridiomycosis research. | the amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which affects species across all continents, recently emerged as one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. yet, many aspects of the basic biology and epidemiology of the pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), are still unknown, such as when and from where did bd emerge and what is its true ecological niche? here, we review the ecology and evolution of bd in the americas and highlight controversies that make this disease so enigmatic. we e ... | 2015 | 26445660 |
| jumping into a trap: high prevalence of chytrid fungus in the preferred microhabitats of a bromeliad-specialist frog. | the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been identified as a major threat to several amphibian populations in tropical forests. amphibians that inhabit the phytotelmata (water tanks) of bromeliads may be especially at risk of bd infection since the humid, environmentally buffered microhabitat that they prefer might also be favorable for bd persistence on the host. to test this hypothesis, we sampled adults and tadpoles of the bromeligenous anuran phyllodytes edelmoi (endemic t ... | 2016 | 27786160 |
| high adult mortality in disease-challenged frog populations increases vulnerability to drought. | pathogen emergence can drive major changes in host population demography, with implications for population dynamics and sensitivity to environmental fluctuations. the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, caused by infection with the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is implicated in the severe decline of over 200 amphibian species. in species that have declined but not become extinct, bd persists and can cause substantial ongoing mortality. high rates of mortality associated wi ... | 2016 | 27380945 |
| comparative study of host response to chytridiomycosis in a susceptible and a resistant toad species. | in the past century, recently emerged infectious diseases have become major drivers of species decline and extinction. the fungal disease chytridiomycosis has devastated many amphibian populations and exacerbated the amphibian conservation crisis. biologists are beginning to understand what host traits contribute to disease susceptibility, but more work is needed to determine why some species succumb to chytridiomycosis while others do not. we conducted an integrative laboratory experiment to ex ... | 2016 | 27696594 |
| survey of pathogenic chytrid fungi (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and b. salamandrivorans) in salamanders from three mountain ranges in europe and the americas. | batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (bsal) is a virulent fungal pathogen that infects salamanders. it is implicated in the recent collapse of several populations of fire salamanders in europe. this pathogen seems much like that of its sister species, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the agent responsible for anuran extinctions and extirpations worldwide, and is considered to be an emerging global threat to salamander communities. bsal thrives at temperatures found in many mountainous regions r ... | 2016 | 27709310 |
| dr jekyll and mrs hyde: risky hybrid sex by amphibian-parasitizing chytrids in the brazilian atlantic forests. | in their article in this issue of molecular ecology, jenkinson et al. () and colleagues address a worrying question-how could arguably the most dangerous pathogen known to science, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), become even more virulent? the answer: start having sex. jenkinson et al. present a case for how the introduction into brazil of the globally invasive lineage of bd, bdgpl, has disrupted the relationship between native amphibians and an endemic bd lineage, bdbrazil. bdbrazil is hyp ... | 2016 | 27373706 |
| amphibians with infectious disease increase their reproductive effort: evidence for the terminal investment hypothesis. | mounting an immune response to fight disease is costly for an organism and can reduce investment in another life-history trait, such as reproduction. the terminal investment hypothesis predicts that an organism will increase reproductive effort when threatened by disease. the reproductive fitness of amphibians infected with the deadly fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is largely unknown. in this study, we explored gametogenesis in two endangered and susceptible frog species, ps ... | 2016 | 27358291 |
| infection risk decreases with increasing mismatch in host and pathogen environmental tolerances. | the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has caused the greatest known wildlife pandemic, infecting over 500 amphibian species. it remains unclear why some host species decline from disease-related mortality whereas others persist. we introduce a conceptual model that predicts that infection risk in ectotherms will decrease as the difference between host and pathogen environmental tolerances (i.e. tolerance mismatch) increases. we test this prediction using both local-scale data f ... | 2016 | 27339786 |
| the emerging amphibian fungal disease, chytridiomycosis: a key example of the global phenomenon of wildlife emerging infectious diseases. | the spread of amphibian chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is associated with the emerging infectious wildlife disease chytridiomycosis. this fungus poses an overwhelming threat to global amphibian biodiversity and is contributing toward population declines and extinctions worldwide. extremely low host-species specificity potentially threatens thousands of the 7,000+ amphibian species with infection, and hosts in additional classes of organisms have now also been identified, includi ... | 2016 | 27337484 |
| detection of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in amphibians imported into the uk for the pet trade. | there is increasing evidence that the global spread of the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been facilitated by the international trade in amphibians. bd was first detected in the uk in 2004, and has since been detected in multiple wild amphibian populations. most amphibians imported into the uk for the pet trade from outside the european union enter the country via heathrow animal reception centre (harc), where bd-positive animals have been previously detected. data on th ... | 2016 | 27317049 |
| reduced immune function predicts disease susceptibility in frogs infected with a deadly fungal pathogen. | the relationship between amphibian immune function and disease susceptibility is of primary concern given current worldwide declines linked to the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). we experimentally infected lowland leopard frogs (lithobates yavapaiensis) with bd to test the hypothesis that infection causes physiological stress and stimulates humoral and cell-mediated immune function in the blood. we measured body mass, the ratio of circulating neutrophils to lymphocytes (a ... | 2016 | 27293759 |
| potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the united states. | to investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 states in the united states (us) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. all samples were analyzed for >90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) using molecular methods. pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected f ... | 2016 | 27232962 |
| dead or alive? viability of chytrid zoospores shed from live amphibian hosts. | pathogens vary in virulence and rates of transmission because of many differences in the host, the pathogen, and their environment. the amphibian chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), affects amphibian hosts differently, causing extinction and population declines in some species but having limited effects on others. phenotypic differences in zoospore production rates among bd lineages likely contribute to some of the variation observed among host responses, although no studies hav ... | 2016 | 27225201 |
| citizen scientists monitor a deadly fungus threatening amphibian communities in northern coastal california, usa. | ecoclub youth and supervising family members conducted citizen science to assess regional prevalence and distribution of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) among amphibians at humboldt bay national wildlife refuge (refuge) and redwood national and state parks (parks), humboldt county, california, us, may 2013 through december 2014. using quantitative real-time pcr, 26 (17%) of 155 samples were positive for bd. positive samples occurred in four frog and toad species: foothill yellow-legged frog ... | 2016 | 27195681 |
| low disease-causing threshold in a frog species susceptible to chytridiomycosis. | a simple diagnosis of the presence or absence of an infection is an uninformative metric when individuals differ considerably in their tolerance to different infection loads or resistance to rates of disease progression. models that incorporate the relationship between the progression of the infection with the potential alternate outcomes provide a far more powerful predictive tool than diagnosis alone. the global decline of amphibians has been amplified by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a path ... | 2016 | 27190153 |
| spread of amphibian chytrid fungus across lowland populations of túngara frogs in panamá. | chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is an emergent infectious disease partially responsible for worldwide amphibian population declines. the spread of bd along highland habitats (> 500 meters above sea level, m a.s.l.) of costa rica and panamá is well documented and has been linked to amphibian population collapses. in contrast, data are scarce on the prevalence and dispersal of bd in lowland habitats where amphibians may be infected but asymptoma ... | 2016 | 27176629 |
| dramatic declines of montane frogs in a central african biodiversity hotspot. | amphibian populations are vanishing worldwide. declines and extinctions of many populations have been attributed to chytridiomycosis, a disease induced by the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). in africa, however, changes in amphibian assemblages were typically attributed to habitat change. we conducted a retrospective study utilizing field surveys from 2004-2012 of the anuran faunas on two mountains in western cameroon, a hotspot of african amphibian diversity. the number of ... | 2016 | 27149624 |
| prevalence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in eastern hellbender (cryptobranchus alleganiensis) populations in west virginia, usa. | the eastern hellbender (cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) is a north american salamander species in decline throughout its range. efforts to identify the causes of decline have included surveillance for the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which has been associated with global amphibian population losses. we evaluated the prevalence of bd in 42 hellbenders at four sites in west virginia, us, from june to september 2013, using standard swab protocols and real-time pcr ... | 2016 | 27124331 |
| assessing the ability of swab data to determine the true burden of infection for the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is a pathogenic fungus which causes the disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians by infecting the animals' epidermis. the most commonly applied method for the detection of bd is the use of a sterile swab, rubbed over the keratinized areas of an amphibian and then processed to yield dna for detection by qpcr. this method has been used to infer a threshold of lethal infection in some species; however, how reliable and reproducible the swabbing method is at detecti ... | 2016 | 27060065 |
| filling a gap in the distribution of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis: evidence in amphibians from northern china. | chytridiomycosis caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been recognized as a major driver of amphibian declines worldwide. central and northern asia remain as the greatest gap in the knowledge of the global distribution of bd. in china, bd has recently been recorded from south and central regions, but areas in the north remain poorly surveyed. in addition, a recent increase in amphibian farming and trade has put this region at high risk for bd introduction. to investigate this, we col ... | 2016 | 27025313 |
| susceptibility to disease varies with ontogeny and immunocompetence in a threatened amphibian. | ontogenetic changes in disease susceptibility have been demonstrated in many vertebrate taxa, as immature immune systems and limited prior exposure to pathogens can place less developed juveniles at a greater disease risk. by causing the disease chytridiomycosis, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) infection has led to the decline of many amphibian species. despite increasing knowledge on how bd varies in its effects among species, little is known on the interaction between susceptibility and de ... | 2016 | 27021312 |
| vertebrate hosts as islands: dynamics of selection, immigration, loss, persistence, and potential function of bacteria on salamander skin. | skin bacterial communities can protect amphibians from a fungal pathogen; however, little is known about how these communities are maintained. we used a neutral model of community ecology to identify bacteria that are maintained on salamanders by selection or by dispersal from a bacterial reservoir (soil) and ecological drift. we found that 75% (9/12) of bacteria that were consistent with positive selection, <1% of bacteria that were consistent with random dispersal and none of the bacteria that ... | 2016 | 27014249 |
| adaptive tolerance to a pathogenic fungus drives major histocompatibility complex evolution in natural amphibian populations. | amphibians have been affected globally by the disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), and we are just now beginning to understand how immunogenetic variability contributes to disease susceptibility. lineages of an expressed major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ii locus involved in acquired immunity are associated with chytridiomycosis susceptibility in controlled laboratory challenge assays. here, we extend these findings to natural populations ... | 2016 | 27009220 |
| ranavirus causes mass die-offs of alpine amphibians in the southwestern alps, france. | pathogenic fungi and viruses cause mortality outbreaks in wild amphibians worldwide. in the summer of 2012, dead tadpoles and adults of the european common frog rana temporaria were reported in alpine lakes in the southwestern alps (mercantour national park, france). a preliminary investigation using molecular diagnostic techniques identified a ranavirus as the potential pathogenic agent. three mortality events were recorded in the park, and samples were collected. the amphibian chytrid fungus b ... | 2016 | 26967128 |
| amphibian-killing chytrid in brazil comprises both locally endemic and globally expanding populations. | chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is the emerging infectious disease implicated in recent population declines and extinctions of amphibian species worldwide. bd strains from regions of disease-associated amphibian decline to date have all belonged to a single, hypervirulent clonal genotype (bd-gpl). however, earlier studies in the atlantic forest of southeastern brazil detected a novel, putatively enzootic lineage (bd-brazil), and indicated hybridization ... | 2016 | 26939017 |
| prevalence and seasonality of the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis along widely separated longitudes across the united states. | the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been implicated in amphibian declines on almost all continents. we report on prevalence and intensity of bd in the united states amphibian populations across three longitudinally separated north-to-south transects conducted at 15 department of defense installations during two sampling periods (late-spring/early summer and mid to late summer). such a standardized approach minimizes the effects of sampling and analytical bias, as well as h ... | 2016 | 26935823 |
| leaf litter inhibits growth of an amphibian fungal pathogen. | past studies have found a heterogeneous distribution of the amphibian chytrid fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). recent studies have accounted for some of this heterogeneity through a positive association between canopy cover and bd abundance, which is attributed to the cooling effect of canopy cover. we questioned whether leaf litter inputs that are also associated with canopy cover might also alter bd growth. leaf litter inputs exhibit tremendous interspecific chemical varia ... | 2016 | 26935822 |
| enhanced call effort in japanese tree frogs infected by amphibian chytrid fungus. | some amphibians have evolved resistance to the devastating disease chytridiomycosis, associated with global population declines, but immune defences can be costly. we recorded advertisement calls of male japanese tree frogs (hyla japonica) in the field. we then assessed whether individuals were infected by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the causal agent of the disease. this allowed us to analyse call properties of males as a function of their infection status. infected males called more ra ... | 2016 | 26932682 |
| disease dynamics of red-spotted newts and their anuran prey in a montane pond community. | long-term monitoring of amphibians is needed to clarify population-level effects of ranaviruses (rv) and the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). we investigated disease dynamics of co-occurring amphibian species and potential demographic consequences of rv and bd infections at a montane site in the southern appalachians, georgia, usa. our 3-yr study was unique in combining disease surveillance with intensive population monitoring at a site where both pathogens are present. we de ... | 2016 | 26912042 |
| direct and indirect horizontal transmission of the antifungal probiotic bacterium janthinobacterium lividum on green frog (lithobates clamitans) tadpoles. | amphibian populations worldwide are being threatened by the disease chytridiomycosis, which is caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis to mitigate the effects of b. dendrobatidis, bioaugmentation of antifungal bacteria has been shown to be a promising strategy. one way to implement bioaugmentation is through indirect horizontal transmission, defined as the transfer of bacteria from a host to the environment and to another host. in addition, direct horizontal transmission among individuals can f ... | 2016 | 26873311 |
| using "omics" and integrated multi-omics approaches to guide probiotic selection to mitigate chytridiomycosis and other emerging infectious diseases. | emerging infectious diseases in wildlife are responsible for massive population declines. in amphibians, chytridiomycosis caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, bd, has severely affected many amphibian populations and species around the world. one promising management strategy is probiotic bioaugmentation of antifungal bacteria on amphibian skin. in vivo experimental trials using bioaugmentation strategies have had mixed results, and therefore a more informed strategy is needed to select succ ... | 2016 | 26870025 |
| infection and transmission heterogeneity of a multi-host pathogen (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) within an amphibian community. | the majority of parasites infect multiple hosts. as the outcome of the infection is different in each of them, most studies of wildlife disease focus on the few species that suffer the most severe consequences. however, the role that each host plays in the persistence and transmission of infection can be crucial to understanding the spread of a parasite and the risk it poses to the community. current theory predicts that certain host species can modulate the infection in other species by amplify ... | 2016 | 26865231 |
| endemicity of chytridiomycosis features pathogen overdispersion. | pathogens can be critical drivers of the abundance and distribution of wild animal populations. the presence of an overdispersed pathogen load distribution between hosts (where few hosts harbour heavy parasite burdens and light infections are common) can have an important stabilizing effect on host-pathogen dynamics where infection intensity determines pathogenicity. this may potentially lead to endemicity of an introduced pathogen rather than extirpation of the host and/or pathogen. overdispers ... | 2016 | 26847143 |
| physiological responses of brazilian amphibians to an enzootic infection of the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | pathophysiological effects of clinical chytridiomycosis in amphibians include disorders of cutaneous osmoregulation and disruption of the ability to rehydrate, which can lead to decreased host fitness or mortality. less attention has been given to physiological responses of hosts where enzootic infections of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) do not cause apparent population declines in the wild. here, we experimentally tested whether an enzootic strain of bd causes significant mortality and al ... | 2016 | 26758658 |
| skin bacterial diversity of panamanian frogs is associated with host susceptibility and presence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | symbiotic bacteria on amphibian skin can inhibit growth of the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) that has caused dramatic population declines and extinctions of amphibians in the neotropics. it remains unclear how the amphibians' skin microbiota is influenced by environmental bacterial reservoirs, host-associated factors such as susceptibility to pathogens, and pathogen presence in tropical amphibians. we sampled skin bacteria from five co-occurring frog species that differ in bd suscep ... | 2016 | 26744810 |
| co-infection by chytrid fungus and ranaviruses in wild and harvested frogs in the tropical andes. | while global amphibian declines are associated with the spread of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), undetected concurrent co-infection by other pathogens may be little recognized threats to amphibians. emerging viruses in the genus ranavirus (rv) also cause die-offs of amphibians and other ectotherms, but the extent of their distribution globally, or how co-infections with bd impact amphibians are poorly understood. we provide the first report of bd and rv co-infection in south america, and t ... | 2016 | 26726999 |
| correction for blooi et al., duplex real-time pcr for rapid simultaneous detection of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in amphibian samples. | 2016 | 26719587 | |
| integral projection models for host-parasite systems with an application to amphibian chytrid fungus. | host parasite models are typically constructed under either a microparasite or macroparasite paradigm. however, this has long been recognized as a false dichotomy because many infectious disease agents, including most fungal pathogens, have attributes of both microparasites and macroparasites.we illustrate how integral projection models (ipm)s provide a novel, elegant modeling framework to represent both types of pathogens. we build a simple host-parasite ipm that tracks both the number of susce ... | 2016 | 28239442 |
| climate forcing of an emerging pathogenic fungus across a montane multi-host community. | changes in the timings of seasonality as a result of anthropogenic climate change are predicted to occur over the coming decades. while this is expected to have widespread impacts on the dynamics of infectious disease through environmental forcing, empirical data are lacking. here, we investigated whether seasonality, specifically the timing of spring ice-thaw, affected susceptibility to infection by the emerging pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) across a montane community of ... | 2016 | 28080980 |
| patterns of amphibian infection prevalence across wetlands on the savannah river site, south carolina, usa. | amphibian diseases, such as chytridiomycosis caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and ranaviral disease caused by ranaviruses, are often linked to global amphibian population declines, yet the ecological dynamics of both pathogens are poorly understood. the goal of our study was to determine the baseline prevalence, pathogen loads, and co-infection rate of bd and ranavirus across the savannah river site (srs) in south carolina, usa, a region with rich amphibian diversity and a history o ... | 2016 | 27596855 |
| reservoir-host amplification of disease impact in an endangered amphibian. | emerging wildlife pathogens are an increasing threat to biodiversity. one of the most serious wildlife diseases is chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which has been documented in over 500 amphibian species. amphibians vary greatly in their susceptibility to bd; some species tolerate infection, whereas others experience rapid mortality. reservoir hosts-species that carry infection while maintaining high abundance but are rarely killed by disease- ... | 2016 | 27594575 |
| rethinking the role of invertebrate hosts in the life cycle of the amphibian chytridiomycosis pathogen. | the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has recently emerged as a primary factor behind declining global amphibian populations. much about the basic biology of the pathogen is unknown, however, such as its true ecological niche and life cycle. here we evaluated invertebrates as infection models by inoculating host species that had previously been suggested to be parasitized in laboratory settings: crayfish (procambarus alleni) and nematodes (caenorhabditis elegans). we found n ... | 2016 | 27573338 |
| insights from genomics into spatial and temporal variation in batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | advances in genetics and genomics have provided new tools for the study of emerging infectious diseases. researchers can now move quickly from simple hypotheses to complex explanations for pathogen origin, spread, and mechanisms of virulence. here we focus on the application of genomics to understanding the biology of the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), a novel and deadly pathogen of amphibians. we provide a brief history of the system, then focus on key insights into bd var ... | 2016 | 27571698 |
| robust calling performance in frogs infected by a deadly fungal pathogen. | reproduction is an energetically costly behavior for many organisms, including species with mating systems in which males call to attract females. in these species, calling males can often attract more females by displaying more often, with higher intensity, or at certain frequencies. male frogs attract females almost exclusively by calling, and we know little about how pathogens, including the globally devastating fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, influence calling effort and call traits. ... | 2016 | 27547369 |
| major histocompatibility complex selection dynamics in pathogen-infected túngara frog (physalaemus pustulosus) populations. | pathogen-driven selection can favour major histocompatibility complex (mhc) alleles that confer immunological resistance to specific diseases. however, strong directional selection should deplete genetic variation necessary for robust immune function in the absence of balancing selection or challenges presented by other pathogens. we examined selection dynamics at one mhc class ii (mhc-ii) locus across panamanian populations of the túngara frog, physalaemus pustulosus, infected by the amphibian ... | 2016 | 27531158 |
| chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis , in wild populations of the lake titicaca frog, telmatobius culeus, in peru. | the lake titicaca frog (telmatobius culeus) is critically endangered, primarily from overexploitation. however, additional threats, such as chytrid fungus ( batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ), are poorly studied. we found moderate levels of chytrid infection using quantitative pcr. our results enhance our understanding of chytrid tolerance to high ph and low water temperature. | 2016 | 27525594 |
| projecting the global distribution of the emerging amphibian fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, based on ipcc climate futures. | projected changes in climate conditions are emerging as significant risk factors to numerous species, affecting habitat conditions and community interactions. projections suggest species range shifts in response to climate change modifying environmental suitability and is supported by observational evidence. both pathogens and their hosts can shift ranges with climate change. we consider how climate change may influence the distribution of the emerging infectious amphibian chytrid fungus, batrac ... | 2016 | 27513565 |
| heritability of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis burden and its genetic correlation with development time in a population of common toad (bufo spinosus). | despite the important threat that emerging pathogens pose for the conservation of biodiversity as well as human health, very little is known about the adaptive potential of host species to withstand infections. we studied the quantitative genetic architecture responsible for the burden of the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in a population of common toads in conjunction with other life-history traits (i.e., body size and development rate) that may be affected by common selective p ... | 2016 | 27480345 |
| batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in confiscated telmatobius in lima, peru. | the peruvian andes are the home of 27 species of frogs of the genus telmatobius, many of which are critically endangered. illegal trade of adult frogs for purported medical properties likely represents the major threat facing these species. this activity, besides reducing their populations, may contribute to the dissemination of the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which causes chytridiomycosis, a disease posing a threat to many populations of amphibians. we screened frogs confiscated ... | 2016 | 27479928 |
| joint effects of habitat, zooplankton, host stage structure and diversity on amphibian chytrid. | why does the severity of parasite infection differ dramatically across habitats? this question remains challenging to answer because multiple correlated pathways drive disease. here, we examined habitat-disease links through direct effects on parasites and indirect effects on parasite predators (zooplankton), host diversity and key life stages of hosts. we used a case study of amphibian hosts and the chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, in a set of permanent and ephemeral alpine ponds ... | 2016 | 27466456 |
| we made your bed, why won't you lie in it? food availability and disease may affect reproductive output of reintroduced frogs. | mitigation to offset the impacts of land development is becoming increasingly common, with reintroductions and created habitat programs used as key actions. however, numerous reviews cite high rates of poor success from these programs, and a need for improved monitoring and scientific testing to evaluate outcomes and improve management actions. we conducted extensive monitoring of a released population of endangered green and golden bell frogs, litoria aurea, within a created habitat, as well as ... | 2016 | 27463095 |
| effects of chytridiomycosis on hematopoietic tissue in the spleen, kidney and bone marrow in three diverse amphibian species. | one of the major causes of amphibian population decline is the deadly fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, bd research on pathogenesis and host immunity aims to inform development of targeted conservation interventions. studies examining global host immune responses as well as effects on lymphocytes in vitro suggest that bd infection causes immunosuppression. however, it is unknown which hematopoietic tissues are affected and if these effects differ among host species. we investigated ... | 2016 | 27422094 |
| phylogenetic evidence for a fusion of archaeal and bacterial semisweets to form eukaryotic sweets and identification of sweet hexose transporters in the amphibian chytrid pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | sweets represent a new class of sugar transporters first described in plants, animals, and humans and later in prokaryotes. plant sweets play key roles in phloem loading, seed filling, and nectar secretion, whereas the role of archaeal, bacterial, and animal transporters remains elusive. structural analyses show that eukaryotic sweets are composed of 2 triple-helix bundles (thbs) fused via an inversion linker helix, whereas prokaryotic semisweets contain only a single thb and require homodimeriz ... | 2016 | 27411857 |
| disease risk analysis and post-release health surveillance for a reintroduction programme: the pool frog pelophylax lessonae. | there are risks from disease in undertaking wild animal reintroduction programmes. methods of disease risk analysis have been advocated to assess and mitigate these risks, and post-release health and disease surveillance can be used to assess the effectiveness of the disease risk analysis, but results for a reintroduction programme have not to date been recorded. we carried out a disease risk analysis for the reintroduction of pool frogs (pelophylax lessonae) to england, using information gained ... | 2016 | 27393743 |
| the search for violacein-producing microbes to combat batrachochytrium dendrobatidis: a collaborative research project between secondary school and college research students. | in this citizen science-aided, college laboratory-based microbiology research project, secondary school students collaborate with college research students on an investigation centered around bacterial species in the local watershed. this study specifically investigated the prevalence of violacein-producing bacterial isolates, as violacein has been demonstrated as a potential bioremediation treatment for outbreaks of the worldwide invasive chytrid, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). the impact ... | 2016 | 27047594 |
| microbiome variation across amphibian skin regions: implications for chytridiomycosis mitigation efforts. | cutaneous bacteria may play an important role in the resistance of amphibians to the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). microbial communities resident on hosts' skin show topographical diversity mapping to skin features, as demonstrated by studies of the human microbiome. we examined skin microbiomes of wild and captive fire-bellied toads (bombina orientalis) for differences across their body surface. we found that bacterial communities differed between ventral and dorsal ski ... | 2016 | 26271741 |
| inhibitory bacteria reduce fungi on early life stages of endangered colorado boreal toads (anaxyrus boreas). | increasingly, host-associated microbiota are recognized to mediate pathogen establishment, providing new ecological perspectives on health and disease. amphibian skin-associated microbiota interact with the fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), but little is known about microbial turnover during host development and associations with host immune function. we surveyed skin microbiota of colorado's endangered boreal toads (anaxyrus boreas), sampling 181 toads across four life stage ... | 2016 | 26565725 |
| cell density effects of frog skin bacteria on their capacity to inhibit growth of the chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | bacterial symbionts on frog skin can reduce the growth of the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) through production of inhibitory metabolites. bacteria can be effective at increasing the resistance of amphibians to chytridiomycosis when added to amphibian skin, and isolates can be screened for production of metabolites that inhibit bd growth in vitro. however, some bacteria use density-dependent mechanism such as quorum sensing to regulate metabolite production. it is therefore i ... | 2016 | 26563320 |
| mountain yellow-legged frogs (rana muscosa) did not produce detectable antibodies in immunization experiments with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | chytridiomycosis is a devastating infectious disease of amphibians caused by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). a growing number of studies have examined the role of amphibian adaptive immunity in response to this pathogen, with varying degrees of immune activation reported. here we present immunologic data for the mountain yellow-legged frog, rana muscosa, and the sierra nevada yellow-legged frog, rana sierrae, which are two endangered and ecologically important species ex ... | 2016 | 26540180 |
| xenopus laevis and emerging amphibian pathogens in chile. | amphibians face an extinction crisis with no precedence. two emerging infectious diseases, ranaviral disease caused by viruses within the genus ranavirus and chytridiomycosis due to batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), have been linked with amphibian mass mortalities and population declines in many regions of the globe. the african clawed frog (xenopus laevis) has been indicated as a vector for the spread of these pathogens. since the 1970s, this species has been invasive in central chile. we co ... | 2016 | 27682604 |
| seasonal infection rates of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in populations of northern green frog lithobates clamitans melanota tadpoles. | few studies have documented seasonal variation of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) infection rates in larval amphibians. we identified 4 natural populations of northern green frogs lithobates clamitans melanota in pennsylvania (usa) that contained bd-infected tadpoles during post-wintering collections in may and june, after hibernating tadpoles had overwintered in wetlands. however, we failed to detect infected tadpoles at those wetlands when pre-wintering collections were made in late july t ... | 2016 | 27667807 |
| probiotic treatment restores protection against lethal fungal infection lost during amphibian captivity. | host-associated microbiomes perform many beneficial functions including resisting pathogens and training the immune system. here, we show that amphibians developing in captivity lose substantial skin bacterial diversity, primarily due to reduced ongoing input from environmental sources. we combined studies of wild and captive amphibians with a database of over 1 000 strains that allows us to examine antifungal function of the skin microbiome. we tracked skin bacterial communities of 62 endangere ... | 2016 | 27655769 |
| contribution of multiple inter-kingdom horizontal gene transfers to evolution and adaptation of amphibian-killing chytrid, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | amphibian populations are experiencing catastrophic declines driven by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). although horizontal gene transfer (hgt) facilitates the evolution and adaptation in many fungi by conferring novel function genes to the recipient fungi, inter-kingdom hgt in bd remains largely unexplored. in this study, our investigation detects 19 bacterial genes transferred to bd, including metallo-beta-lactamase and arsenate reductase that play important roles in th ... | 2016 | 27630622 |
| invasion of the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on california islands. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), an amphibian fungal pathogen, has infected >500 species and caused extinctions or declines in >200 species worldwide. despite over a decade of research, little is known about its invasion biology. to better understand this, we conducted a museum specimen survey (1910-1997) of bd in amphibians on 11 california islands and found a pattern consistent with the emergence of bd epizootics on the mainland, suggesting that geographic isolation did not prevent bd inva ... | 2016 | 26493624 |
| crn13 candidate effectors from plant and animal eukaryotic pathogens are dna-binding proteins which trigger host dna damage response. | to successfully colonize their host, pathogens produce effectors that can interfere with host cellular processes. here we investigated the function of crn13 candidate effectors produced by plant pathogenic oomycetes and detected in the genome of the amphibian pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bdcrn13). when expressed in nicotiana, aecrn13, from the legume root pathogen aphanomyces euteiches, increases the susceptibility of the leaves to the oomycete phytophthora capsici. ... | 2016 | 26700936 |
| spontaneous oral chytridiomycosis in wild bullfrog tadpoles in japan. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) infects anuran larvae (tadpole) mouthparts and causes oral chytridiomycosis, which can be diagnosed in tadpoles by detecting mouthparts deformities. however, oral chytridiomycosis may or may not be observable, depending on species, tadpole stage and season, and has never been reported in japan. we aimed to observe oral chytridiomycosis characteristics in bullfrog (lithobates catesbeiana) tadpoles, determine associated pathologic features and investigate the us ... | 2016 | 26685882 |
| effects of nutrient supplementation on host-pathogen dynamics of the amphibian chytrid fungus: a community approach. | anthropogenic stressors may influence hosts and their pathogens directly or may alter host-pathogen dynamics indirectly through interactions with other species. for example, in aquatic ecosystems, eutrophication may be associated with increased or decreased disease risk. conversely, pathogens can influence community structure and function and are increasingly recognised as important members of the ecological communities in which they exist.in outdoor mesocosms, we experimentally manipulated nutr ... | 2016 | 28956554 |
| using environmental dna for early detection of amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis prior to a ranid die-off. | amphibian chytridiomycosis caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is an emerging infectious disease that has been associated with mass mortality and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. environmental dna (edna) techniques have been used to detect the presence of bd in the environment, but not to detect bd prior to an amphibian die-off. we collected edna using filtered water samples from 13 lakes across sequoia kings canyon national park. seven of those sites had populations of ... | 2017 | 29256431 |