| 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 |
| dietary carotenoid supplementation enhances the cutaneous bacterial communities of the critically endangered southern corroboree frog (pseudophryne corroboree). | the rapid spread of infectious disease has resulted in the decline of animal populations globally. amphibians support a diversity of microbial symbionts on their skin surface that help to inhibit pathogen colonisation and reduce disease susceptibility and virulence. these cutaneous microbial communities represent an important component of amphibian immune defence, however, very little is known about the environmental factors that influence the cutaneous microbiome. here, we characterise the cuta ... | 2017 | 27623966 |
| 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 |
| amphibian immunity-stress, disease, and climate change. | like all other vertebrate groups, amphibian responses to the environment are mediated through the brain (hypothalamic)-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (hpa/i) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. amphibians are facing historically unprecedented environmental stress due to climate change that will involve unpredictable temperature and rainfall regimes and possible nutritional deficits due to extremes of temperature and drought. at the same time, amphibians in all parts of the world are experienc ... | 2017 | 27387153 |
| 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 |
| a model to inform management actions as a response to chytridiomycosis-associated decline. | decision-analytic models provide forecasts of how systems of interest will respond to management. these models can be parameterized using empirical data, but sometimes require information elicited from experts. when evaluating the effects of disease in species translocation programs, expert judgment is likely to play a role because complete empirical information will rarely be available. we illustrate development of a decision-analytic model built to inform decision-making regarding translocatio ... | 2017 | 27056609 |
| 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 |
| assessing the threat of amphibian chytrid fungus in the albertine rift: past, present and future. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the cause of chytridiomycosis, is a pathogenic fungus that is found worldwide and is a major contributor to amphibian declines and extinctions. we report results of a comprehensive effort to assess the distribution and threat of bd in one of the earth's most important biodiversity hotspots, the albertine rift in central africa. in herpetological surveys conducted between 2010 and 2014, 1018 skin swabs from 17 amphibian genera in 39 sites across the albertine ... | 2015 | 26710251 |
| 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 |
| delayed metamorphosis of amphibian larvae facilitates batrachochytrium dendrobatidis transmission and persistence. | highly virulent pathogens that cause host population declines confront the risk of fade-out, but if pathogen transmission dynamics are age-structured, pathogens can persist. among other features of amphibian biology, variable larval developmental rates generate age-structured larval populations, which in theory can facilitate pathogen persistence. we investigated this possibility empirically in a population of salamandra salamandra in spain affected by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) at bree ... | 2015 | 26648101 |
| seasonal and ontogenetic variation of skin microbial communities and relationships to natural disease dynamics in declining amphibians. | recently, microbiologists have focused on characterizing the probiotic role of skin bacteria for amphibians threatened by the fungal disease chytridiomycosis. however, the specific characteristics of microbial diversity required to maintain health or trigger disease are still not well understood in natural populations. we hypothesized that seasonal and developmental transitions affecting susceptibility to chytridiomycosis could also alter the stability of microbial assemblages. to test our hypot ... | 2015 | 26587253 |
| successful elimination of a lethal wildlife infectious disease in nature. | methods to mitigate the impacts of emerging infectious diseases affecting wildlife are urgently needed to combat loss of biodiversity. however, the successful mitigation of wildlife pathogens in situ has rarely occurred. indeed, most strategies for combating wildlife diseases remain theoretical, despite the wealth of information available for combating infections in livestock and crops. here, we report the outcome of a 5-year effort to eliminate infection with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis affe ... | 2015 | 26582843 |
| panamanian frog species host unique skin bacterial communities. | vertebrates, including amphibians, host diverse symbiotic microbes that contribute to host disease resistance. globally, and especially in montane tropical systems, many amphibian species are threatened by a chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), that causes a lethal skin disease. bd therefore may be a strong selective agent on the diversity and function of the microbial communities inhabiting amphibian skin. in panamá, amphibian population declines and the spread of bd have been t ... | 2015 | 26579083 |
| 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 |
| salamanders increase their feeding activity when infected with the pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | immune function is a costly line of defense against parasitism. when infected with a parasite, hosts frequently lose mass due to these costs. however, some infected hosts (e.g. highly resistant individuals) can clear infections with seemingly little fitness losses, but few studies have tested how resistant hosts mitigate these costly immune defenses. we explored this topic using eastern red-backed salamanders plethodon cinereus and the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). bd is g ... | 2015 | 26503775 |
| 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 |
| amphibian chytrid fungus in madagascar neither shows widespread presence nor signs of certain establishment. | the global spread of amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, bd) is associated with amphibian mass mortality, population decline, and extinction. over the past decade, concern has been expressed for the potential introduction of bd to madagascar, a global hotspot of amphibian biodiversity. following years without detection, widespread bd presence in madagascar has now been reported (bletz et al. 2015a), raising international conservation concern. before reacting to this finding ... | 2015 | 26465924 |
| consistency of published results on the pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in madagascar: formal comment on kolby et al. rapid response to evaluate the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and ranavirus in wild amphibian populations in madagascar. | | 2015 | 26465608 |
| community structure and function of amphibian skin microbes: an experiment with bullfrogs exposed to a chytrid fungus. | the vertebrate microbiome contributes to disease resistance, but few experiments have examined the link between microbiome community structure and disease resistance functions. chytridiomycosis, a major cause of amphibian population declines, is a skin disease caused by the fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). in a factorial experiment, bullfrog skin microbiota was reduced with antibiotics, augmented with an anti-bd bacterial isolate (janthinobacterium lividum), or unmanipulated, and ind ... | 2015 | 26445500 |
| current extinction rates of reptiles and amphibians. | there is broad concern that a mass extinction of amphibians and reptiles is now underway. here i apply an extremely conservative bayesian method to estimate the number of recent amphibian and squamate extinctions in nine important tropical and subtropical regions. the data stem from a combination of museum collection databases and published site surveys. the method computes an extinction probability for each species by considering its sighting frequency and last sighting date. it infers hardly a ... | 2015 | 26438855 |
| immunomodulatory metabolites released by the frog-killing fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a fungal pathogen in the phylum chytridiomycota that causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis. chytridiomycosis is considered an emerging infectious disease linked to worldwide amphibian declines and extinctions. although amphibians have well-developed immune defenses, clearance of this pathogen from the skin is often impaired. previously, we showed that the adaptive immune system is involved in the control of the pathogen, but b. dendrobatidis releases factors ... | 2015 | 26371122 |
| characterization of the skin microbiota in italian stream frogs (rana italica) infected and uninfected by a cutaneous parasitic disease. | in human and wildlife populations, the natural microbiota plays an important role in health maintenance and the prevention of emerging infectious diseases. in amphibians, infectious diseases have been closely associated with population decline and extinction worldwide. skin symbiont communities have been suggested as one of the factors driving the different susceptibilities of amphibians to diseases. the activity of the skin microbiota of amphibians against fungal pathogens, such as batrachochyt ... | 2015 | 26370166 |
| genomic correlates of virulence attenuation in the deadly amphibian chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | emerging infectious diseasespose a significant threat to global health, but predicting disease outcomes for particular species can be complicated when pathogen virulence varies across space, time, or hosts. the pathogenic chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has caused worldwide declines in frog populations. not only do bd isolates from wild populations vary in virulence, but virulence shifts can occur over short timescales when bd is maintained in the laboratory. we leveraged chan ... | 2015 | 26333840 |
| natural disturbance reduces disease risk in endangered rainforest frog populations. | natural disturbances can drive disease dynamics in animal populations by altering the microclimates experienced by hosts and their pathogens. many pathogens are highly sensitive to temperature and moisture, and therefore small changes in habitat structure can alter the microclimate in ways that increase or decrease infection prevalence and intensity in host populations. here we show that a reduction of rainforest canopy cover caused by a severe tropical cyclone decreased the risk of endangered r ... | 2015 | 26294048 |
| infection dynamics in frog populations with different histories of decline caused by a deadly disease. | pathogens can drive host population dynamics. chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease of amphibians that is caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). this pathogen has caused declines and extinctions in some host species whereas other host species coexist with bd without suffering declines. in the early 1990s, bd extirpated populations of the endangered common mistfrog, litoria rheocola, at high-elevation sites, while populations of the species persisted at low-elevation sites. toda ... | 2015 | 26293680 |
| dna extraction method affects the detection of a fungal pathogen in formalin-fixed specimens using qpcr. | museum collections provide indispensable repositories for obtaining information about the historical presence of disease in wildlife populations. the pathogenic amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has played a significant role in global amphibian declines, and examining preserved specimens for bd can improve our understanding of its emergence and spread. quantitative pcr (qpcr) enables bd detection with minimal disturbance to amphibian skin and is significantly more sens ... | 2015 | 26291624 |
| patterns of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis transmission between tadpoles in a high-elevation rainforest stream in tropical australia. | the highly virulent fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) poses a global threat to amphibian biodiversity. streams and other water bodies are central habitats in the ecology of the disease, particularly in rainforests where they may transport and transmit the pathogen and harbor infected tadpoles that serve as reservoir hosts. we conducted an experiment using larval green-eyed tree frogs litoria serrata in semi-natural streamside channels to test the hypotheses that (1) the fungus ... | 2015 | 26290506 |
| the use of singleplex and nested pcr to detect batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in free-living frogs. | many microorganisms are able to cause diseases in amphibians, and in the past few years one of the most reported has been batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. this fungus was first reported in brazil in 2005; following this, other reports were made in specimens deposited in museum collections, captive and free-living frogs. the aim of this study was to compare singleplex and nested-pcr techniques to detect b. dendrobatidis in free-living and apparently healthy adult frogs from the brazilian atlantic ... | 2015 | 26273273 |
| 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 |
| geophysiology of wood frogs: landscape patterns of prevalence of disease and circulating hormone concentrations across the eastern range. | one of the major challenges for conservation physiologists is to determine how current or future environmental conditions relate to the health of animals at the population level. in this study, we measured prevalence of disease, mean condition of the body, and mean resting levels of corticosterone and testosterone in a total of 28 populations across the years 2011 and 2012, and correlated these measures of health to climatic suitability of habitat, using estimates from a model of the ecological ... | 2015 | 26269462 |
| effect of glucocorticoids on expression of cutaneous antimicrobial peptides in northern leopard frogs (lithobates pipiens). | many species of frogs secrete cutaneous antimicrobial peptides that are capable of killing batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. some of these species are nonetheless susceptible to chytridiomycosis, suggesting that host factors causing dysregulation of this innate immune response may be important in pathogenesis. since stresses, such as from environmental perturbations, are a potential cause of such dysregulation, this study investigated the effect of glucocorticoid on cutaneous gene expression of th ... | 2015 | 26253169 |
| treatment trial of clinically ill corroboree frogs with chytridiomycosis with two triazole antifungals and electrolyte therapy. | chytridiomycosis caused by the pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is an important cause of amphibian declines globally, and is the worst pathogen on record for causing biodiversity loss. the critically endangered southern corroboree frog, pseudophryne corroboree, is functionally extinct in the wild and is surviving in captive assurance colonies. these captive colonies must remain disease free, and there is no known treatment for corroboree frogs with terminal chytridiomycosis. in this study ... | 2015 | 26246159 |
| correction: rapid response to evaluate the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and ranavirus in wild amphibian populations in madagascar. | | 2015 | 26222617 |
| differences in sensitivity to the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis among amphibian populations. | contributing to the worldwide biodiversity crisis are emerging infectious diseases, which can lead to extirpations and extinctions of hosts. for example, the infectious fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is associated with worldwide amphibian population declines and extinctions. sensitivity to bd varies with species, season, and life stage. however, there is little information on whether sensitivity to bd differs among populations, which is essential for understanding bd-infecti ... | 2015 | 26219571 |
| effects of pesticide mixtures on host-pathogen dynamics of the amphibian chytrid fungus. | anthropogenic and natural stressors often interact to affect organisms. amphibian populations are undergoing unprecedented declines and extinctions with pesticides and emerging infectious diseases implicated as causal factors. although these factors often co-occur, their effects on amphibians are usually examined in isolation. we hypothesized that exposure of larval and metamorphic amphibians to ecologically relevant concentrations of pesticide mixtures would increase their post-metamorphic susc ... | 2015 | 26181492 |
| most of the dominant members of amphibian skin bacterial communities can be readily cultured. | currently, it is estimated that only 0.001% to 15% of bacteria in any given system can be cultured by use of commonly used techniques and media, yet culturing is critically important for investigations of bacterial function. despite this situation, few studies have attempted to link culture-dependent and culture-independent data for a single system to better understand which members of the microbial community are readily cultured. in amphibians, some cutaneous bacterial symbionts can inhibit est ... | 2015 | 26162880 |
| seasonal variation in population abundance and chytrid infection in stream-dwelling frogs of the brazilian atlantic forest. | enigmatic amphibian declines were first reported in southern and southeastern brazil in the late 1980s and included several species of stream-dwelling anurans (families hylodidae and cycloramphidae). at that time, we were unaware of the amphibian-killing fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd); therefore, pollution, habitat loss, fragmentation and unusual climatic events were hypothesized as primary causes of these declines. we now know that multiple lineages of bd have infected amphibians of ... | 2015 | 26161777 |
| marginal bayesian nonparametric model for time to disease arrival of threatened amphibian populations. | the global emergence of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has caused the extinction of hundreds of amphibian species worldwide. it has become increasingly important to be able to precisely predict time to bd arrival in a population. the data analyzed herein present a unique challenge in terms of modeling because there is a strong spatial component to bd arrival time and the traditional proportional hazards assumption is grossly violated. to address these concerns, we develop a novel marginal b ... | 2015 | 26148536 |
| linking genetic and environmental factors in amphibian disease risk. | a central question in evolutionary biology is how interactions between organisms and the environment shape genetic differentiation. the pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) has caused variable population declines in the lowland leopard frog (lithobates yavapaiensis); thus, disease has potentially shaped, or been shaped by, host genetic diversity. environmental factors can also influence both amphibian immunity and bd virulence, confounding our ability to assess the genetic effects on dis ... | 2015 | 26136822 |
| successful treatment of batrachochytrium salamandrivorans infections in salamanders requires synergy between voriconazole, polymyxin e and temperature. | chytridiomycosis caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (bsal) poses a serious threat to urodelan diversity worldwide. antimycotic treatment of this disease using protocols developed for the related fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), results in therapeutic failure. here, we reveal that this therapeutic failure is partly due to different minimum inhibitory concentrations (mics) of antimycotics against bsal and bd. in vitro growth inhibition of bsal occurs after ex ... | 2015 | 26123899 |
| a de novo assembly of the common frog (rana temporaria) transcriptome and comparison of transcription following exposure to ranavirus and batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. | amphibians are experiencing global declines and extinctions, with infectious diseases representing a major factor. in this study we examined the transcriptional response of metamorphic hosts (common frog, rana temporaria) to the two most important amphibian pathogens: batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and ranavirus. we found strong up-regulation of a gene involved in the adaptive immune response (ap4s1) at four days post-exposure to both pathogens. we detected a significant transcriptional res ... | 2015 | 26111016 |
| larval environment alters amphibian immune defenses differentially across life stages and populations. | recent global declines, extirpations and extinctions of wildlife caused by newly emergent diseases highlight the need to improve our knowledge of common environmental factors that affect the strength of immune defense traits. to achieve this goal, we examined the influence of acidification and shading of the larval environment on amphibian skin-associated innate immune defense traits, pre and post-metamorphosis, across two populations of american bullfrogs (rana catesbeiana), a species known for ... | 2015 | 26107644 |
| 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 |