TY - JOUR
T1 - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection and lethal chytridiomycosis in caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona)
AU - Gower, David J.
AU - Doherty-Bone, Thomas
AU - Loader, Simon P.
AU - Wilkinson, Mark
AU - Kouete, Marcel T.
AU - Tapley, Benjamin
AU - Orton, Frances
AU - Daniel, Olivia Z.
AU - Wynne, Felicity
AU - Flach, Edmund
AU - Müller, Hendrik
AU - Menegon, Michele
AU - Stephen, Ian
AU - Browne, Robert K.
AU - Fisher, Mathew C.
AU - Cunningham, Andrew A.
AU - Garner, Trenton W. J.
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is commonly termed the 'amphibian chytrid fungus' but thus far has been documented to be a pathogen of only batrachian amphibians (anurans and caudatans). It is not proven to infect the limbless, generally poorly known, and mostly soil-dwelling caecilians (Gymnophiona). We conducted the largest qPCR survey of Bd in caecilians to date, for more than 200 field-swabbed specimens from five countries in Africa and South America, representing nearly 20 species, 12 genera, and 8 families. Positive results were recovered for 58 specimens from Tanzania and Cameroon (4 families, 6 genera, 6+ species). Quantities of Bd were not exceptionally high, with genomic equivalent (GE) values of 0.052-17.339. In addition, we report the first evidence of lethal chytridiomycosis in caecilians. Mortality in captive (wild-caught, commercial pet trade) Geotrypetes seraphini was associated with GE scores similar to those we detected for field-swabbed, wild animals.
AB - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is commonly termed the 'amphibian chytrid fungus' but thus far has been documented to be a pathogen of only batrachian amphibians (anurans and caudatans). It is not proven to infect the limbless, generally poorly known, and mostly soil-dwelling caecilians (Gymnophiona). We conducted the largest qPCR survey of Bd in caecilians to date, for more than 200 field-swabbed specimens from five countries in Africa and South America, representing nearly 20 species, 12 genera, and 8 families. Positive results were recovered for 58 specimens from Tanzania and Cameroon (4 families, 6 genera, 6+ species). Quantities of Bd were not exceptionally high, with genomic equivalent (GE) values of 0.052-17.339. In addition, we report the first evidence of lethal chytridiomycosis in caecilians. Mortality in captive (wild-caught, commercial pet trade) Geotrypetes seraphini was associated with GE scores similar to those we detected for field-swabbed, wild animals.
KW - Africa/epidemiology
KW - Animals
KW - Animals, Wild/microbiology
KW - Anura/microbiology
KW - Chytridiomycota/isolation & purification
KW - Mycoses/microbiology
KW - Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
KW - South America/epidemiology
U2 - 10.1007/s10393-013-0831-9
DO - 10.1007/s10393-013-0831-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 23677560
SN - 1612-9202
VL - 10
SP - 173
EP - 183
JO - EcoHealth
JF - EcoHealth
IS - 2
ER -