| ranavirus in wild edible frogs pelophylax kl. esculentus in denmark. | a survey for the amphibian pathogens ranavirus and batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) was conducted in denmark during august and september 2008. the public was encouraged via the media to register unusual mortalities in a web-based survey. all members of the public that registered cases were interviewed by phone and 10 cases were examined on suspicion of disease-induced mortality. all samples were negative for bd. ranavirus was isolated from 2 samples of recently dead frogs collected during a m ... | 2009 | 19593928 |
| experimental infection of native north carolina salamanders with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | chytridiomycosis is an often fatal fungal disease of amphibians caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. this disease has been implicated in the worldwide decline of many anuran species, but studies of chytridiomycosis in wild salamanders are limited. between august 2006 and december 2006, we tested wild amphibians in north carolina, usa (n=212) by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). we identified three pcr-positive animals: one rana clamitans and two plethodontid salamanders. we experimentally in ... | 2009 | 19617473 |
| variations in the expressed antimicrobial peptide repertoire of northern leopard frog (rana pipiens) populations suggest intraspecies differences in resistance to pathogens. | the northern leopard frog (rana pipiens or lithobates pipiens) is historically found in most of the provinces of canada and the northern and southwest states of the united states. in the last 50 years, populations have suffered significant losses, especially in the western regions of the species range. using a peptidomics approach, we show that the pattern of expressed antimicrobial skin peptides of frogs from three geographically separated populations are distinct, and we report the presence of ... | 2009 | 19622371 |
| selecting for extinction: nonrandom disease-associated extinction homogenizes amphibian biotas. | studying the patterns in which local extinctions occur is critical to understanding how extinctions affect biodiversity at local, regional and global spatial scales. to understand the importance of patterns of extinction at a regional spatial scale, we use data from extirpations associated with a widespread pathogenic agent of amphibian decline, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) as a model system. we apply novel null model analyses to these data to determine whether recent extirpations associa ... | 2009 | 19694784 |
| genome-wide transcriptional response of silurana (xenopus) tropicalis to infection with the deadly chytrid fungus. | emerging infectious diseases are of great concern for both wildlife and humans. several highly virulent fungal pathogens have recently been discovered in natural populations, highlighting the need for a better understanding of fungal-vertebrate host-pathogen interactions. because most fungal pathogens are not fatal in the absence of other predisposing conditions, host-pathogen dynamics for deadly fungal pathogens are of particular interest. the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (here ... | 2009 | 19701481 |
| the bacterially produced metabolite violacein is associated with survival of amphibians infected with a lethal fungus. | the disease chytridiomycosis, which is caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is associated with recent declines in amphibian populations. susceptibility to this disease varies among amphibian populations and species, and resistance appears to be attributable in part to the presence of antifungal microbial species associated with the skin of amphibians. the betaproteobacterium janthinobacterium lividum has been isolated from the skins of several amphibian species and produc ... | 2009 | 19717627 |
| experimental examination of the effects of ultraviolet-b radiation in combination with other stressors on frog larvae. | ultraviolet-b radiation (uvb) is a ubiquitous stressor with negative effects on many aquatic organisms. in amphibians, ambient levels of uvb can result in impaired growth, slowed development, malformations, altered behavior and mortality. uvb can also interact with other environmental stressors to amplify these negative effects on individuals. in outdoor mesocosm and laboratory experiments we studied potential synergistic effects of uvb, a pathogenic fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), ... | 2010 | 19727829 |
| impact and dynamics of disease in species threatened by the amphibian chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | estimating disease-associated mortality and transmission processes is difficult in free-ranging wildlife but important for understanding disease impacts and dynamics and for informing management decisions. in a capture-mark-recapture study, we used a pcr-based diagnostic test in combination with multistate models to provide the first estimates of disease-associated mortality and detection, infection, and recovery rates for frogs endemically infected with the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendr ... | 2009 | 19774709 |
| the ecology and impact of chytridiomycosis: an emerging disease of amphibians. | emerging infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as key threats to wildlife. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, has been implicated in widespread amphibian declines and is currently the largest infectious disease threat to biodiversity. here, we review the causes of bd emergence, its impact on amphibian populations and the ecology of bd transmission. we describe studies to answer outstanding issues, including the origin of the pathogen, the effe ... | 2010 | 19836101 |
| amphibian chytridiomycosis in japan: distribution, haplotypes and possible route of entry into japan. | a serious disease of amphibians caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was first found in japan in december 2006 in imported pet frogs. this was the first report of chytridiomycosis in asia. to assess the risk of pandemic chytridiomycosis to japanese frogs, we surveyed the distribution of the fungus among captive and wild frog populations. we established a nested pcr assay that uses two pairs of pcr primers to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (its) region of a ribosom ... | 2009 | 19840263 |
| thermoregulatory behaviour affects prevalence of chytrid fungal infection in a wild population of panamanian golden frogs. | predicting how climate change will affect disease dynamics requires an understanding of how the environment affects host-pathogen interactions. for amphibians, global declines and extinctions have been linked to a pathogenic chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. using a combination of body temperature measurements and disease assays conducted before and after the arrival of b. dendrobatidis, this study tested the hypothesis that body temperature affects the prevalence of infection in a ... | 2010 | 19864287 |
| first detection of the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in free-ranging populations of amphibians on mainland asia: survey in south korea. | chytridiomycosis, a disease that has caused amphibian population declines globally and elevated many species of anurans to endangered or threatened status, has recently been declared an internationally notifiable disease. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the amphibian chytrid fungus causing this disease, has not been previously reported in korea or on mainland asia. thirty-six frog specimens representing 7 species were collected from the wild in south korea and examined for bd using standard ... | 2009 | 19899344 |
| multilocus sequence typing suggests the chytrid pathogen of amphibians is a recently emerged clone. | chytridiomycosis is a recently identified fungal disease associated with global population declines of frogs. although the fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is considered an emerging pathogen, little is known about its population genetics, including the origin of the current epidemic and how this relates to the dispersal ability of the fungus. in this study, we use multilocus sequence typing to examine genetic diversity and relationships among 35 fungal strains from north america, africa a ... | 2003 | 12535090 |
| distribution limits of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis: a case study in the rocky mountains, usa. | knowledge of the environmental constraints on a pathogen is critical to predicting its dynamics and effects on populations. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), an aquatic fungus that has been linked with widespread amphibian declines, is ubiquitous in the rocky mountains. as part of assessing the distribution limits of bd in our study area, we sampled the water column and sediments for bd zoospores in 30 high-elevation water bodies that lacked amphibians. all water bodies were in areas where bd ... | 2009 | 19901397 |
| blood parasites of frogs from an equatorial african montane forest in western uganda. | in a survey of blood parasites in ugandan frogs, 30 (17%) of 180 frogs were infected with at least 1 species of hepatozoon or trypanosoma, or with microfilariae. there were significant differences in the prevalence of parasitism among species, with parasitemia detected in only 3 of 9 species. the intensity of blood parasite infection ranged from 1 to 1,080 infected cells per 5,000 cells examined. seasonal changes in the prevalence and intensity of parasitemia were not observed, nor was there any ... | 2010 | 19958047 |
| expression profiling the temperature-dependent amphibian response to infection by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | amphibians are experiencing a panzootic of unprecedented proportions caused by the emergence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). however, all species are not equally at risk of infection, and risk is further modified by environmental variables, specifically temperature. in order to understand how, and when, hosts mount a response to bd we analysed infection dynamics and patterns of gene expression in the model amphibian species silurana (xenopus) tropicalis. mathematical modelling of infecti ... | 2009 | 20027316 |
| endemic and introduced haplotypes of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in japanese amphibians: sink or source? | the global emergence of the amphibian chytrid pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is one of the most compelling, and troubling, examples of a panzootic. only discovered in 1998, bd is now recognized as a proximate driver of global declines in amphibian diversity and is now widely acknowledged as a key threatening process for this ancient class of vertebrates. moreover, bd has become a member of a small group of highly virulent multihost pathogens that are known to have had effects on en ... | 2009 | 20078765 |
| immunization is ineffective at preventing infection and mortality due to the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, has been implicated in amphibian declines worldwide. it has been hypothesized that low inherent immunogenicity in bd may be related to the high rates of morbidity and mortality that are associated with bd-infected anuran populations. to test this idea, juvenile rana muscosa (mountain yellow-legged frogs) were immunized with adjuvants in combination with a formalin-killed bd culture to determine if i ... | 2010 | 20090019 |
| factors driving pathogenicity vs. prevalence of amphibian panzootic chytridiomycosis in iberia. | amphibian chytridiomycosis is a disease caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). whether bd is a new emerging pathogen (the novel pathogen hypothesis; nph) or whether environmental changes are exacerbating the host-pathogen dynamic (the endemic pathogen hypothesis; eph) is debated. to disentangle these hypotheses we map the distribution of bd and chytridiomycosis across the iberian peninsula centred on the first european outbreak site. we find that the infection-free state is th ... | 2010 | 20132274 |
| impacts of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection on tadpole foraging performance. | pathogen-induced modifications in host behavior, including alterations in foraging behavior or foraging efficiency, can compromise host fitness by reducing growth and development. chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease of amphibians caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), and it has played an important role in the worldwide decline of amphibians. in larval anurans, bd infections commonly result in reduced developmental rates, however, the mechanism(s) responsible are unteste ... | 2010 | 20135192 |
| chytrid blinders: what other disease risks to amphibians are we missing? | amphibian declines are occurring on a global scale, and infectious disease has been implicated as a factor in some species. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been associated with amphibian declines and/or extinctions in many locations, however, few of the studies have actually performed detailed pathological investigations to link the emergence of the disease with mortality rates large enough to cause the declines. many studies are based solely on the presence of infection, not disease, be ... | 2010 | 20135193 |
| mortality rates differ among amphibian populations exposed to three strains of a lethal ranavirus. | infectious diseases are a growing threat to biodiversity, in many cases because of synergistic effects with habitat loss, environmental contamination, and climate change. emergence of pathogens as new threats to host populations can also arise when novel combinations of hosts and pathogens are unintentionally brought together, for example, via commercial trade or wildlife relocations and reintroductions. chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and amphibian ranaviruses (family iridovirid ... | 2010 | 20143127 |
| how does chytrid infection vary among habitats? the case of litoria wilcoxii (anura, hylidae) in se queensland, australia. | most analyses dealing with the geographical distribution of the chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) have been performed on large geographical scales and data on more localized distribution of the chytrid within catchments are scarce. in this study, we compare the prevalence and intensity of infection of chytrid within and outside rainforest habitats at five independent catchments in southeast queensland. in each catchment, we sampled adult litoria wilcoxii along two transects on the ... | 2010 | 20155300 |
| prevalence of the pathogenic chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, in an endangered population of northern leopard frogs, rana pipiens. | emerging infectious diseases threaten naïve host populations with extinction. chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease of amphibians, is caused by the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and has been linked to global declines in amphibians. | 2010 | 20202208 |
| efficacy of sybr 14/propidium iodide viability stain for the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a recently described pathogen that has been implicated as a causal agent in the global decline in amphibians. research into its biology and epidemiology has frequently involved in vitro experimentation. however, this research is currently limited by the inability to differentiate between viable and inviable zoospores. stains are frequently used to determine cell viability, and this study tested a 2-colour fluorescence assay for the d ... | 2010 | 20225679 |
| using occupancy models to understand the distribution of an amphibian pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a fungal pathogen that is receiving attention around the world for its role in amphibian declines. study of its occurrence patterns is hampered by false negatives: the failure to detect the pathogen when it is present. occupancy models are a useful but currently underutilized tool for analyzing detection data when the probability of detecting a species is <1. we use occupancy models to evaluate hypotheses concerning the occurrence and prevalence of b. dendrobati ... | 2010 | 20349848 |
| diagnosis of aeromonas hydrophila, mycobacterium species, and batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in an african clawed frog (xenopus laevis). | here we describe diagnosis of concurrent infection with aeromonas hydrophila, mycobacterium spp., and batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in a wild female xenopus laevis captured in chile and transported to the united states. after approximately 130 d in the laboratory, the frog was presented for dysecdysis and obtundation. after euthanasia, tissues were submitted for histopathologic evaluation and pcr analysis for b. dendrobatidis and ranavirus. clinically significant gross lesions included cutaneou ... | 2010 | 20353698 |
| first evidence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in china: discovery of chytridiomycosis in introduced american bullfrogs and native amphibians in the yunnan province, china. | although the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the etiological agent of amphibian chytridiomycosis, has been implicated in mass mortality and population declines on several continents around the world, there have been no reports on the presence of bd infections in amphibians in china. we employed quantitative pcr and histological techniques to investigate the presence of bd in introduced north american bullfrogs (rana catesbeiana) (referred to hereafter as bullfrog) and native ... | 2010 | 20372969 |
| linking global climate and temperature variability to widespread amphibian declines putatively caused by disease. | the role of global climate change in the decline of biodiversity and the emergence of infectious diseases remains controversial, and the effect of climatic variability, in particular, has largely been ignored. for instance, it was recently revealed that the proposed link between climate change and widespread amphibian declines, putatively caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), was tenuous because it was based on a temporally confounded correlation. here we provide temp ... | 2010 | 20404180 |
| effects of amphibian chytrid fungus on individual survival probability in wild boreal toads. | chytridiomycosis is linked to the worldwide decline of amphibians, yet little is known about the demographic effects of the disease. we collected capture-recapture data on three populations of boreal toads (bufo boreas [bufo = anaxyrus]) in the rocky mountains (u.s.a.). two of the populations were infected with chytridiomycosis and one was not. we examined the effect of the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [bd]; the agent of chytridiomycosis) on survival proba ... | 2010 | 20412086 |
| dynamics of an emerging disease drive large-scale amphibian population extinctions. | epidemiological theory generally suggests that pathogens will not cause host extinctions because the pathogen should fade out when the host population is driven below some threshold density. an emerging infectious disease, chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is directly linked to the recent extinction or serious decline of hundreds of amphibian species. despite continued spread of this pathogen into uninfected areas, the dynamics of the host-pathog ... | 2010 | 20457913 |
| enzootic and epizootic dynamics of the chytrid fungal pathogen of amphibians. | chytridiomycosis, the disease caused by the chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), has contributed to amphibian population declines and extinctions worldwide. the impact of this pathogen, however, varies markedly among amphibian species and populations. following invasion into some areas of california's sierra nevada, bd leads to rapid declines and local extinctions of frog populations (rana muscosa, r. sierrae). in other areas, infected populations of the same frog species have de ... | 2010 | 20457916 |
| cutaneous bacteria of the redback salamander prevent morbidity associated with a lethal disease. | chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is an infectious disease that causes population declines of many amphibians. cutaneous bacteria isolated from redback salamanders, plethodon cinereus, and mountain yellow-legged frogs, rana muscosa, inhibit the growth of bd in vitro. in this study, the bacterial community present on the skin of p. cinereus individuals was investigated to determine if it provides protection to salamanders from the lethal and sub- ... | 2010 | 20532032 |
| within- and among-population variation in chytridiomycosis-induced mortality in the toad alytes obstetricans. | chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease linked to local and global extinctions of amphibians. susceptibility to chytridiomycosis varies greatly between amphibian species, but little is known about between- and within-population variability. however, this kind of variability is the basis for the evolution of tolerance and resistance evolution to disease. | 2010 | 20532196 |
| fungal pathogen changes the feeding kinematics of larval anurans. | pathogens can alter host life-history traits by affecting host feeding activities. in anuran tadpoles, keratinized mouthparts (teeth and jaw sheaths) are essential for feeding. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( bd ) is a pathogenic fungus of amphibians that can infect these mouthparts and reduce tadpole survival. however, the precise way that bd-induced changes in tadpole mouthparts impact tadpole feeding is unknown. we use high-speed (500 frames/sec) videography to study how bd-induced mouthpart ... | 2010 | 20557202 |
| immune defenses against batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a fungus linked to global amphibian declines, in the south african clawed frog, xenopus laevis. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a chytrid fungus that causes the lethal skin disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians. it is regarded as an emerging infectious disease affecting diverse amphibian populations in many parts of the world. because there are few model amphibian species for immunological studies, little is known about immune defenses against b. dendrobatidis. we show here that the south african clawed frog, xenopus laevis, is a suitable model for investigating immunity to this pathoge ... | 2010 | 20584973 |
| antimicrobial peptide defenses of the tarahumara frog, rana tarahumarae. | populations of the tarahumara frog rana tarahumarae have decreased markedly in recent years in the northern part of their range. infection by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has been implicated in these declines. to determine whether antimicrobial peptides in the skin provide protection against this pathogen, norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions were tested for their ability to inhibit growth of b. dendrobatidis in vitro. after concentration, crude mixtures of skin peptide ... | 2002 | 12237127 |
| the contribution of skin antimicrobial peptides to the system of innate immunity in anurans. | cationic peptides with the propensity to adopt an amphipathic α-helical conformation in a membrane-mimetic environment are synthesized in the skins of many species of anurans (frogs and toads). these peptides frequently display cytolytic activities against a range of pathogenic bacteria and fungi consistent with the idea that they play a role in the host's system of innate immunity. however, the importance of the peptides in the survival strategy of the animal is not clearly understood. it is a ... | 2011 | 20640445 |
| epidemic disease decimates amphibian abundance, species diversity, and evolutionary history in the highlands of central panama. | amphibian populations around the world are experiencing unprecedented declines attributed to a chytrid fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. despite the severity of the crisis, quantitative analyses of the effects of the epidemic on amphibian abundance and diversity have been unavailable as a result of the lack of equivalent data collected before and following disease outbreak. we present a community-level assessment combining long-term field surveys and dna barcode data describing ch ... | 2010 | 20643927 |
| presence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis at the headwaters of the mississippi river, itasca state park, minnesota, usa. | | 2009 | 20689665 |
| developing a safe antifungal treatment protocol to eliminate batrachochytrium dendrobatidis from amphibians. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is one of the most pathogenic microorganisms affecting amphibians in both captivity and in nature. the establishment of b. dendrobatidis free, stable, amphibian captive breeding colonies is one of the emergency measures that is being taken to save threatened amphibian species from extinction. for this purpose, in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing and the development of efficient and safe treatment protocols are required. in this study, we evaluated the use of ... | 2011 | 20718611 |
| treatment of spontaneous chytridiomycosis in captive amphibians using itraconazole. | we performed this study in order to establish an effective, simple and safe treatment for chytridiomycosis. the subjects were 12 amphibians (11 anurans of 4 different species and 1 urodela) diagnosed with chytridiomycosis by clinical signs and a pcr test. a 0.01% aqueous solution of the antifungal agent itraconazole was used to treat the subjects, and we evaluated the efficacy of treatment by 3 methods: clinical signs, direct microscopy and a nested pcr test. a 10-min immersion in a 0.01% aqueou ... | 2011 | 20847538 |
| preliminary amphibian health survey in the delaware water gap national recreation area. | to detect aquatic animal diseases of national concern, 111 individual amphibians, including wood frogs rana sylvatica (28), spring peepers pseudacris crucifer (35), red-spotted newts notophthalmus viridescens (41), and gray tree frogs hyla versicolor (7), were sampled at seven different sites in the delaware water gap national recreation area (dgnra), pennsylvania, from june 14 to july 19, 2007. these samples were screened for batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and viral pathogens at the u.s. fish a ... | 2010 | 20848885 |
| amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis prevalence is correlated with season and not urbanization in central virginia. | the global amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been documented among many species throughout the united states, though cases of chytridiomycosis, the resulting disease, have occurred mostly on the west coast. we conducted a 2 yr survey of amphibians along an urban gradient in virginia, u.s.a., to test whether bd prevalence among the amphibians sampled varied with urbanization and/or season. a total of 867 adult amphibians from 13 species and 49 tadpoles from 3 species were ... | 2010 | 20853737 |
| effects of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection on ion concentrations in the boreal toad anaxyrus (bufo) boreas boreas. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis causes mortality in various amphibian species including the boreal toad anaxyrus (bufo) boreas boreas. the purpose of this study was to determine the physiological effects of this pathogen on experimentally infected boreal toads. plasma osmolality, sodium, and potassium concentrations were analyzed to evaluate the differences between diseased and non-exposed animals. infected animals with clinical signs of chytridiomycosis had significantly lower plasma osmolality, ... | 2010 | 20853738 |
| conservation, duplication, and loss of the tor signaling pathway in the fungal kingdom. | the nutrient-sensing tor pathway governs cell growth and is conserved in nearly all eukaryotic organisms from unicellular yeasts to multicellular organisms, including humans. tor is the target of the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin, which in complex with the prolyl isomerase fkbp12 inhibits tor functions. rapamycin is a gold standard drug for organ transplant recipients that was approved by the fda in 1999 and is finding additional clinical indications as a chemotherapeutic and antiproliferativ ... | 2010 | 20863387 |
| immmunological clearance of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection at a pathogen-optimal temperature in the hylid frog hypsiboas crepitans. | amphibian declines worldwide have been linked to the fungal disease chytridiomycosis. its causative agent (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, hereafter bd), however, also infects many nondeclining species. experimental infections have shown species-specific and temperature-dependent frog responses to bd infection. although bd infection may be eliminated by housing amphibians at temperatures above those tolerated by the fungus, the question of whether frogs can eliminate infection under more favorab ... | 2010 | 20890631 |
| production of polyclonal antibodies to batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and their use in an immunoperoxidase test for chytridiomycosis in amphibians. | polyclonal antibodies were produced for diagnosing chytridiomycosis in amphibians. two sheep and 4 rabbits were inoculated with homogenized whole culture of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in freund's complete adjuvant or triple adjuvant. antisera from all animals reacted strongly with all stages of b. dendrobatidis and stained the walls, cytoplasm, rhizoids and zoospores in an indirect immunoperoxidase test. significant cross-reactivity occurred only with some fungi in the chytridiomycota, and t ... | 2002 | 12033708 |
| batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and the collapse of anuran species richness and abundance in the upper manu national park, southeastern peru. | amphibians are declining worldwide, but these declines have been particularly dramatic in tropical mountains, where high endemism and vulnerability to an introduced fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is associated with amphibian extinctions. we surveyed frogs in the peruvian andes in montane forests along a steep elevational gradient (1200-3700 m). we used visual encounter surveys to sample stream-dwelling and arboreal species and leaf-litter plots to sample terrestrial-breedi ... | 2010 | 21054530 |
| using amphibians in laboratory studies: precautions against the emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis. | the african clawed frog xenopus laevis is by far the most widely used amphibian species in laboratories. in the wild, x. laevis is an asymptomatic carrier of an emerging infectious disease called chytridiomycosis. the vector is the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which has devastating effects on wild amphibian populations around the world. the impact of bd on the metabolism of x. laevis has not been comprehended yet. however, even if asymptomatic, an infection is likely to af ... | 2010 | 21075827 |
| what drives chytrid infections in newt populations? associations with substrate, temperature, and shade. | the pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is considered responsible for the population declines and extinctions of hundreds of amphibian species worldwide. the panzootic was likely triggered by human-assisted spread, but once the pathogen becomes established in a given region, its distribution is probably determined by local drivers. to assess the relative importance of potential drivers of infection in red-spotted newts (notophthalmus viridescens), we measured bd levels ... | 2010 | 21125308 |
| physiology of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a chytrid pathogen of amphibians. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogen of amphibians that has been implicated in severe population declines on several continents. we investigated the zoospore activity, physiology and protease production of b. dendrobatidis to help understand the epidemiology of this pathogen. more than 95% of zoospores stopped moving within 24 h and swam less than 2 cm before encysting. isolates of b. dendrobatidis grew and reproduced at temperatures of 4-25 c and at ph 4-8. growth was maximal at 17-25 c ... | 2004 | 21148822 |
| high prevalence of the amphibian chytrid pathogen in gabon. | amphibian chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) that is implicated in the worldwide decline and extinction of amphibians. africa has been proposed as a potential source for the global expansion of bd, yet the distribution of bd across the continent remains largely unexplored. using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qpcr), we screened for the presence of bd in 166 adult anurans from two national parks in gabon (monts de cristal an ... | 2011 | 21210295 |
| ubiquity of the pathogenic chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, in anuran communities in panamá. | the pathogenic chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has been implicated as the main driver of many enigmatic amphibian declines in neotropical sites at high elevation. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is thought to be a waterborne pathogen limited by temperature, and the extent to which it persists and causes disease in amphibians at lower elevations in the neotropics is not known. it also is unclear by what mechanism(s) b. dendrobatidis has emerged as a pathogenic organism. to test whe ... | 2011 | 21225313 |
| amphibian chytridiomycosis. | amphibian chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. it is arguably the most significant recorded infectious disease of any vertebrate class. the disease is reducing amphibian biodiversity across most continents and regions of the world, affecting the resilience of surviving populations and driving multiple species to extinction. it is now recognised by the world organisation for animal health (oie) as an internationally notifiable disease. ... | 2010 | 21268969 |
| amphibian decline and extinction: what we know and what we need to learn. | for over 350 million yr, thousands of amphibian species have lived on earth. since the 1980s, amphibians have been disappearing at an alarming rate, in many cases quite suddenly. what is causing these declines and extinctions? in the modern era (post 1500) there are 6 leading causes of biodiversity loss in general, and all of these acting alone or together are responsible for modern amphibian declines: commercial use; introduced/exotic species that compete with, prey on, and parasitize native fr ... | 2010 | 21268970 |
| two amphibian diseases, chytridiomycosis and ranaviral disease, are now globally notifiable to the world organization for animal health (oie): an assessment. | the global trade in amphibians entails the transport of tens of millions of live animals each year. in addition to the impact harvesting wild animals can have on amphibian populations, there is mounting evidence that the emerging pathogens batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and ranaviruses, the aetiological agents of chytridiomycosis and ranaviral disease, respectively, are spread through this trade. the link between these pathogens and amphibian declines and extinctions suggests that the epidemiolo ... | 2010 | 21268971 |
| batrachochytrium dendrobatidis: requirement for further isolate collection and archiving. | the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) causes the disease chytridiomycosis, which is lethal to many species of amphibians worldwide. many studies have investigated the epidemiology of chytridiomycosis in amphibian populations, but few have considered possible host-pathogen coevolution. more specifically, investigations focused on the evolution of bd, and the link with bd virulence, are needed. such studies, which may be important for conservation management of amphibians, depend ... | 2010 | 21268972 |
| bsa reduces inhibition in a taqman assay for the detection of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | a taqman assay for the causative agent of chytridiomycosis in amphibians (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) can be inhibited by phenolic compounds, including humic and tannic acids, resulting in false negatives. bovine serum albumin (bsa) is known to reduce inhibition of pcr when samples are contaminated with these inhibitors. we assessed the effect of bsa in reducing inhibition of the taqman assay when analyzing skin swabs for b. dendrobatidis. we found that the addition of bsa to the taqman reac ... | 2010 | 21268973 |
| application of the survey protocol for chytridiomycosis to queensland, australia. | spread of the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which causes chytridiomycosis, has resulted in the extinction of frogs, but the distribution of bd is incompletely known. we trialled the survey protocol for bd by attempting to systematically map its distribution in queensland, australia. bd was easily detected in known infected areas, such as the wet tropics and south east queensland. it was not detected in bioregions adjacent to, but inland from or to the north of, in ... | 2010 | 21268974 |
| a molecular perspective: biology of the emerging pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | ten years after the first discovery of the chytrid pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the catastrophic effect of bd on wild amphibian populations is indisputable. however, a number of persistent questions remain about bd's origin and mechanisms of pathogenicity. here we discuss the promise of genetic and genomic tools for answering these previously intractable questions about the biology and evolutionary history of bd. full genomes of 2 bd strains have recently been sequenced, and bd ... | 2010 | 21268975 |
| identification and partial characterization of an elastolytic protease in the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is a fungus that causes chytridiomycosis, a disease that has been implicated as a cause of amphibian population declines worldwide. infected animals experience hyperkeratosis and sloughing of the epidermis due to penetration of the keratinized tissues by the fungus. these symptoms have led us to postulate that bd produces proteases that play a role in the infection process. here, we show that bd is capable of degrading elastin in vitro, a protein found in the ... | 2010 | 21268976 |
| experimental infection of self-cured leiopelma archeyi with the amphibian chytrid batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | the susceptibility of archey's frog leiopelma archeyi to batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is unknown, although one large population is thought to have declined sharply due to chytridiomycosis. as primary infection experiments were not permitted in this endangered new zealand species, 6 wild-caught l. archeyi that naturally cleared infections with bd while in captivity were exposed again to bd to assess their immunity. these frogs were from an infected population at whareorino, which has no kn ... | 2010 | 21268977 |
| treatment of chytridiomycosis requires urgent clinical trials. | effective and safe treatments of amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), are needed to prevent mortality in captive programs, reduce the risk of disease spread, and better manage the disease in threatened wild populations. bd is susceptible to a range of antifungal agents and low levels of heat (>30 degrees c) when tested in vitro, but there are few proven methods for clearing adult amphibians of bd, and acute drug toxicity is a problem for tadpoles and juvenil ... | 2010 | 21268978 |
| activity of antimicrobial skin peptides from ranid frogs against batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the chytrid fungus associated with global amphibian declines. | accumulating evidence suggests that a chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is responsible for recent declines in amphibian populations in australia, central america, europe, and north america. because the chytrid infects the keratinized epithelium of the skin, we investigated the possible role of antimicrobial peptides produced in the skin as inhibitors of infection and growth. we show here that 10 peptides representing eight families of peptides derived from north american ranid frog ... | 2002 | 11906726 |
| effects of chytrid and carbaryl exposure on survival, growth and skin peptide defenses in foothill yellow-legged frogs. | environmental contaminants and disease may synergistically contribute to amphibian population declines. sub-lethal levels of contaminants can suppress amphibian immune defenses and, thereby, may facilitate disease outbreaks. we conducted laboratory experiments on newly metamorphosed foothill yellow-legged frogs (rana boylii) to determine whether sublethal exposure to the pesticide carbaryl would increase susceptibility to the pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis that is widel ... | 2007 | 17396672 |
| future potential distribution of the emerging amphibian chytrid fungus under anthropogenic climate change. | anthropogenic climate change poses a major threat to global biodiversity with a potential to alter biological interactions at all spatial scales. amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates and have been subject to increasing conservation attention over the past decade. a particular concern is the pandemic emergence of the parasitic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has been identified as the cause of extremely rapid large-scale declines and species extinctions. experimenta ... | 2010 | 21268982 |
| presence of the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in threatened corroboree frog populations in the australian alps. | since the early 1980s, the southern corroboree frog pseudophryne corroboree and northern corroboree frog p. pengilleyi have been in a state of decline from their sub-alpine and high montane bog environments on the southern tablelands of new south wales, australia. to date, there has been no adequate explanation as to what is causing the decline of these species. we investigated the possibility that a pathogen associated with other recent frog declines in australia, the amphibian chytrid fungus b ... | 2010 | 21268983 |
| batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in darwin's frog rhinoderma spp. in chile. | the presence of the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in chile was evaluated in 2 endangered frog species of the genus rhinoderma. specimens from a captive rearing facility, wild populations and preserved collection material were analyzed using histological and molecular techniques. the fungus was identified in the rearing facility and in wild populations, but not in the archived frogs. this study confirms, for first time, the presence of chytridiomycosis in rhinoderma darwinii in ch ... | 2010 | 21268984 |
| batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection dynamics in the columbia spotted frog rana luteiventris in north idaho, usa. | the pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is contributing to amphibian declines worldwide. temperature plays an important role in both pathogen growth and host immune function, but little is known about seasonal dynamics of bd infection in north temperate regions. our objective was to increase understanding of bd disease ecology by investigating patterns of bd infection of columbia spotted frogs rana luteiventris across seasons, age classes, and sexes in north idaho, usa. ... | 2010 | 21268985 |
| amphibian chytrid fungus and ranaviruses in the northwest territories, canada. | pathogens can cause serious declines in host species, and knowing where pathogens associated with host declines occur facilitates understanding host-pathogen ecology. suspected drivers of global amphibian declines include infectious diseases, with 2 pathogens in particular, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and ranaviruses, causing concern. we explored the host range and geographic distribution of bd and ranaviruses in the taiga plains ecoregion of the northwest territories, canada, in 2007 an ... | 2010 | 21268986 |
| [chytridiomycosis in amphibians--first report in europe]. | declining of amphibian populations is a worldwide phenomenon. a cutaneous mycosis as a cause of death in free-living amphibians as well as in captive ones due to an chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) was reported at first in 1998. this infections were reported hitherto from australia, north, central and south america. this is the first report on chytrid infections in captive anurans from europe. dendrobates auratus and d. pumilo imported from costa rica and p. vittatus imported from ... | 2000 | 11084755 |
| retreat sites of rain forest stream frogs are not a reservoir for batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in northern queensland, australia. | chytridiomycosis is a potentially fatal disease of amphibians caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and is implicated in declines and extinctions of amphibian populations and species around the world. to cause local host extinction, a disease organism must persist at low host densities. one mechanism that could facilitate this is the ability to persist in the environment. in the laboratory, b. dendrobatidis spreads by both frog-to-frog and environment-to-frog transmission, and can persist on ... | 2007 | 17425258 |
| additional disinfectants effective against the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | chytridiomycosis, a disease contributing to amphibian declines worldwide, is caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. identifying efficient and practical disinfectants effective against b. dendrobatidis is important to reduce the spread of the disease both in the wild and captivity. previous studies identified a range of suitable disinfectant strategies. we evaluated the suitability of 3 additional disinfectants: two of these (trigene virucidal disinfectant cleaner and f10 super conc ... | 2007 | 17425259 |
| relationships among size, development, and batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in african tadpoles. | the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis contributes to the global decline of amphibians. although mortality from b. dendrobatidis infections occurs primarily in postmetamorphic individuals, infected tadpoles may suffer reduced growth and developmental rates as a result of oral chytridiomycosis, possibly affecting adult fitness. we conducted a field study in which we examined south african tadpoles for oral chytridiomycosis and compared the body sizes of infected and uninfected individ ... | 2007 | 17432045 |
| host defense peptides in skin secretions of the oregon spotted frog rana pretiosa: implications for species resistance to chytridiomycosis. | population declines due to chytridiomycosis among frogs belonging to the amerana (rana boylii) species group from western north america have been particularly severe. norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions from the oregon spotted frog rana pretiosa baird and girard, 1853 were collected from individuals that had been previously infected with the causative agent batrachochytrium dendrobatidis but had proved resistant to developing chytridiomycosis. these secretions contained a more diverse arra ... | 2011 | 21295070 |
| ecology: global warming and amphibian losses. | is global warming contributing to amphibian declines and extinctions by promoting outbreaks of the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis? analysing patterns from the american tropics, pounds et al. envisage a process in which a single warm year triggers die-offs in a particular area (for instance, 1987 in the case of monteverde, costa rica). however, we show here that populations of two frog species in the australian tropics experienced increasing developmental instability, which is evid ... | 2007 | 17538571 |
| ecology: the proximate cause of frog declines? | pounds et al. argue that global warming contributes to amphibian declines by encouraging outbreaks of the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. although our findings agree with the climate-linked epidemic hypothesis, this pathogen is probably not the only proximate factor in such cases: in the trasimeno lake area of umbria in central italy, for example, the water frog rana lessonae first declined in the late 1990s, yet chytridiomycosis was not observed until 2003 (refs 5, 6). here we sh ... | 2007 | 17538572 |
| prevalence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in three species of wild frogs on prince edward island, canada. | chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), has resulted in the decline or extinction of approximately 200 frog species worldwide. it has been reported throughout much of north america, but its presence on prince edward island (pei), on the eastern coast of canada, was unknown. to determine the presence and prevalence of bd on pei, skin swabs were collected from 115 frogs from 18 separate sites across the province during the summer of 2009. the swabs were tested t ... | 2010 | 21387987 |
| effects of temperature and hydric environment on survival of the panamanian golden frog infected with a pathogenic chytrid fungus. | considerable controversy exists concerning whether or not climate changes (particularly global warming) are causing outbreaks of a lethal amphibian pathogen, the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (longcore, pessier & d.k. nichols 1999). in the present study, groups of panamanian golden frogs (atelopus zeteki dunn, 1993), a critically endangered amphibian thought to be nearly extinct in panama, were exposed to varying dosages of zoospores of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, temperature ... | 2010 | 21392332 |
| strain differences in the amphibian chytrid batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and non-permanent, sub-lethal effects of infection. | the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is likely the cause of numerous recent amphibian population declines worldwide. while the fungus is generally highly pathogenic to amphibians, hosts express a wide range of responses to infection, probably due to variation among hosts and environmental conditions, but possibly also due to variation in bd. we investigated variation in bd by exposing standardized host groups to 2 bd strains in a uniform environment. all exposed frogs became in ... | 2007 | 17629114 |
| quantitative pcr detection of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis dna from sediments and water. | the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) causes chytridiomycosis, a disease implicated in amphibian declines on 5 continents. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) primer sets exist with which amphibians can be tested for this disease, and advances in sampling techniques allow non-invasive testing of animals. we developed filtering and pcr based quantitative methods by modifying existing pcr assays to detect bd dna in water and sediments, without the need for testing amphibians; we test ... | 2007 | 17933393 |
| survey for the amphibian chytrid batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in hong kong in native amphibians and in the international amphibian trade. | chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is responsible for many amphibian declines and has been identified in wild amphibian populations on all continents where they exist, except for asia. in order to assess whether b. dendrobatidis is present on the native amphibians of hong kong, we sampled wild populations of amolops hongkongensis, paa exilispinosa, p. spinosa and rana chloronota during 2005-2006. amphibians infected with b. dendrobatidis have been found in t ... | 2007 | 18286805 |
| effects of atrazine, agricultural runoff, and selected effluents on antimicrobial activity of skin peptides in xenopus laevis. | atrazine (technical and formulation), agricultural runoff containing atrazine, and treated sewage and landfill effluents were evaluated for their potential to modulate antimicrobial activity of xenopus laevis skin secretions against the chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. this chytrid fungus is implicated in several localized mass mortality events, yet the cause of the susceptibility of amphibians to this newly emergent pathogen is unknown. antimicrobial peptides secreted from dermal ... | 2011 | 21453969 |
| mitigating amphibian disease: strategies to maintain wild populations and control chytridiomycosis. | abstract: | 2011 | 21496358 |
| riding the wave: reconciling the roles of disease and climate change in amphibian declines. | we review the evidence for the role of climate change in triggering disease outbreaks of chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease of amphibians. both climatic anomalies and disease-related extirpations are recent phenomena, and effects of both are especially noticeable at high elevations in tropical areas, making it difficult to determine whether they are operating separately or synergistically. we compiled reports of amphibian declines from lower central america and andean south america ... | 2008 | 18366257 |
| detection of chytridiomycosis caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the endangered sardinian newt (euproctus platycephalus) in southern sardinia, italy. | the chytridiomycete fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is known to be focally distributed across europe, but has only been linked to "chytridiomycosis at a few locations in spain. here we report the second occurrence of chytridiomycosis in european amphibians. we found a population of endangered sardinian newts (euproctus platycephalus) exhibiting clinical signs of disease including loss of digits and patchy, discolored skin. molecular examination of skin samples tested positive for b. dendro ... | 2008 | 18689659 |
| amphibian commerce as a likely source of pathogen pollution. | the commercial trade of wildlife occurs on a global scale. in addition to removing animals from their native populations, this trade may lead to the release and subsequent introduction of nonindigenous species and the pathogens they carry. emerging infectious diseases, such as chytridiomycosis caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), and ranaviral disease have spread with global trade in amphibians and are linked to amphibian declines and die-offs worldwide, which sugges ... | 2008 | 18717688 |
| amphibian chemical defense: antifungal metabolites of the microsymbiont janthinobacterium lividum on the salamander plethodon cinereus. | disease has spurred declines in global amphibian populations. in particular, the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has decimated amphibian diversity in some areas unaffected by habitat loss. however, there is little evidence to explain how some amphibian species persist despite infection or even clear the pathogen beyond detection. one hypothesis is that certain bacterial symbionts on the skin of amphibians inhibit the growth of the pathogen. an antifungal strain of janthinobacteriu ... | 2008 | 18949519 |
| molecular toolkit unlocks life cycle of the panzootic amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | | 2008 | 18997006 |
| a zoospore inhibition technique to evaluate the activity of antifungal compounds against batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and unsuccessful treatment of experimentally infected green tree frogs (litoria caerulea) by fluconazole and benzalkonium chloride. | effective and safe treatments of chytridiomycosis in amphibians, caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, are needed to help prevent mortality in captive programs for threatened species, to reduce the risk of spread, and to better manage the disease in threatened populations. we describe a simple method to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (mics) of antifungal agents that involves adding zoospores to various drug concentrations in 96 well plates and microscopic observation after four ... | 2009 | 19117582 |
| do frogs get their kicks on route 66? continental u.s. transect reveals spatial and temporal patterns of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection. | the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been devastating amphibians globally. two general scenarios have been proposed for the nature and spread of this pathogen: bd is an epidemic, spreading as a wave and wiping out individuals, populations, and species in its path; and bd is endemic, widespread throughout many geographic regions on every continent except antarctica. to explore these hypotheses, we conducted a transcontinental transect of united states department of defense ( ... | 2011 | 21811576 |
| first report of spontaneous chytridiomycosis in frogs in asia. | this is the first report of amphibian chytridiomycosis in asia. we discovered a lethal outbreak in japan, among 45 exotic frogs from 18 species kept for breeding by a private owner. of these 45 frogs, 16 died and another 7 were found to be infected by chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) but survived after treatment. bd was detected in frogs from 9 species (lepidobatrachus laevis, ceratophrys cornuta, c. cranwelli, c. ornata, c. calcarata, chacophrys pierotti, occidozyga lima, lept ... | 2008 | 19149379 |
| first record of chytridiomycosis in bolivia (rhinella quechua; anura: bufonidae). | the finding of tadpoles of rhinella quechua (huayramayu river, carrasco national park, cochabamba, bolivia) with oral abnormalities caused by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis constitutes the first record of this fungal infection reported for bolivian amphibians. | 2008 | 19149380 |
| distribution of frogs in rice bays within an irrigated agricultural area: links to pesticide usage and farm practices. | in the coleambally irrigation area (nsw, australia), the occurrence of four tadpole and frog species in rice bays on farms growing either rice only or both rice and corn was studied over two seasons. in addition to analysis of species occurrence, both gonadal histology and assessment of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection rates were performed. the rice acreage available as potential tadpole habitat was extensively distributed throughout the irrigation area, but more corn was grown in the no ... | 2009 | 19220075 |
| immune defenses of xenopus laevis against batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | amphibian populations are declining at an unprecedented rate worldwide. a number of declines have been linked to a pathogenic skin fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. although amphibians have robust immune defenses, many species seem to be very susceptible to infection by this fungus and to development of the lethal disease called chytridiomycosis. one species that is relatively resistant to b. dendrobatidis is xenopus laevis. because x. laevis has been used as a model for studies of immunit ... | 2009 | 19482684 |
| pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis, a cause of catastrophic amphibian declines. | the pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, is one of the few highly virulent fungi in vertebrates and has been implicated in worldwide amphibian declines. however, the mechanism by which bd causes death has not been determined. we show that bd infection is associated with pathophysiological changes that lead to mortality in green tree frogs (litoria caerulea). in diseased individuals, electrolyte transport across the epidermis was inhibited ... | 2009 | 19900897 |
| persistence with chytridiomycosis does not assure survival of direct-developing frogs. | the chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has been linked to extinction and decline of numerous amphibians. we studied the population-level effects of bd in two post-decline anuran species, eleutherodactylus coqui and e. portoricensis, at el yunque national forest, puerto rico. data on amphibian abundance was updated to report long-term population trends. mark-recapture data was used to monitor bd-infection status and estimate survival probabilities of infected versus uninfected ad ... | 2010 | 20585971 |
| interactions between batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and its amphibian hosts: a review of pathogenesis and immunity. | the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) causes a lethal skin disease of amphibians, chytridiomycosis, which has caused catastrophic amphibian die-offs around the world. this review provides a summary of host characteristics, pathogen characteristics and host-pathogen responses to infection that are important for understanding disease development. | 2010 | 20951224 |
| batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the live frog trade of telmatobius (anura: ceratophryidae) in the tropical andes. | species of frogs in the genus telmatobius are traded and sold for human consumption in the andes and in coastal cities of peru and bolivia. these frogs are harvested from wild populations. we report high prevalence of infection by the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in live frogs purchased at the main market in cusco, peru, from january 2008 to january 2010. we suggest that the transport of native anurans through the live frog trade could facilitate the spread of this fungus amo ... | 2010 | 21268980 |