Batrachochytrium<i>dendrobatidis</i>infection patterns among Panamanian amphibian species, habitats and elevations during epizootic and enzootic stages

Brem, Forrest; Lips, Karen R.

doi:10.3354/dao01960

Cited by 104 publications

(120 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, an enzootic state of Bd may be a consequence of populations being in a post-decline phase and that declines were merely not observed as they happened. There are now numerous examples of enzootic Bd infection in amphibian populations globally (Retallick, McCallum & Speare, 2004;McDonald et al, 2005;Longcore et al, 2007;Brem & Lips, 2008;Woodhams et al, 2008;Padgett-Flohr & Hopkins, 2009), and recent compelling evidence suggests that Bd can have a marked impact even decades after becoming enzootic (Murray et al, 2009). Hence, the apparently enzootic state of Bd found in the present study should be regarded as a conservation concern and requires further investigation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Widespread occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus in Kenya

Kielgast

Rödder

Veith

et al. 2010

Animal Conservation

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Amphibians at the global scale are dramatically declining and the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been suggested to be an important driver in this biodiversity crisis. Increasing evidence points towards the global emergence of Bd being a panzootic caused by pathogen pollution. Africa has been suggested to be the origin of the pathogen but remains one of the least-studied areas. We have conducted the most comprehensive survey on the continent to date focusing on Kenya for investigating taxonomic and environmental components in the distribution of Bd in tropical Africa. Eleven sites along a 770 km transect from the coast up to the border of Uganda were surveyed. Using quantitative PCR, we screened 861 samples from 23 different species in nine genera. The pathogen was confirmed at all studied sites, with an overall prevalence of 31.5%. No dead or symptomatic specimens were found and no declines have been reported in the region so far. Both prevalence and parasite load ranged from the detection limit to some of the highest ever reported. The parasite load showed a significant taxonomic bias and a strong inverse correlation with temperature. Our findings suggest that Bd may be enzootic in the region. We recommend that further research should focus on comparative experimental studies of susceptibility to Bd in African species. Moreover, we stress the need for improved knowledge on the conservation status of the tropical African amphibian fauna to confirm the enzootic nature of widespread Bd infections.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Widespread occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus in Kenya

Kielgast

Rödder

Veith

et al. 2010

Animal Conservation

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“…For example, abiotic factors such as temperature (e.g. Pounds et al 2006, Kriger & Hero 2007a, Woodhams et al 2008, elevation (Brem & Lips 2008), and environmental contaminants (Parris & Baud 2004, Davidson et al 2007, Rohr et al 2008) all mediate host -pathogen interactions.…”

Section: Getting Out Of the Lab: Ecological Genomicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A molecular perspective: biology of the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Rosenblum

Fisher

James³

et al. 2009

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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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 research on this species using population genetics, phylogenetics, proteomics, comparative genomics and functional genomics is already underway. We review some of the insights gleaned from the first studies using these genome-scale approaches focusing particularly on Bd's genomic architecture, patterns of global genetic variation, virulence factors and genetic interactions with hosts. Avenues of future research promise to be particularly fruitful and highlight the need for integrative studies that unite genetic, ecological and spatial data in both Bd and its amphibian hosts. KEY WORDS:Genetics · Genomics · Ecological genomics · Pathogenicity · Chytrid · Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherContribution to DAO Special 4 'Chytridiomycosis: an emerging disease'

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“…Infection prevalence and zoospore loads are often positively correlated with elevation (Brem & Lips 2008, Gründler et al 2012, Catenazzi et al 2013), vegetation density (Puschendorf et al 2009, Becker & Zamudio 2011, Becker et al 2016, and preci pitation (Becker & Zamudio 2011), and negatively correlated with temperature (Becker & Zamudio 2011, Ruggeri et al 2015, Becker et al 2016. Because most caecilians are fossorial, they are likely exposed to lower microclimatic fluctuations dictated by land cover, insolation, and humidity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in South American caecilians

Lambertini

Becker²,

Bardier³

et al. 2017

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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The amphibian-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is linked to population declines in anurans and salamanders globally. To date, however, few studies have attempted to screen Bd in live caecilians; Bd-positive caecilians have only been reported in Africa and French Guiana. Here, we performed a retrospective survey of museum preserved specimens to (1) describe spatial patterns of Bd infection in Gymnophiona across South America and (2) test whether areas of low climatic suitability for Bd in anurans predict Bd spatial epidemiology in caecilians. We used quantitative PCR to detect Bd in preserved caecilians collected over a 109 yr period, and performed autologistic regressions to test the effect of bioclimatic metrics of temperature and precipitation, vegetation density, and elevation on the likelihood of Bd occurrence. We detected an overall Bd prevalence of 12.4%, with positive samples spanning the Uruguayan savanna, Brazil's Atlantic Forest, and the Amazon basin. Our autologistic models detected a strong effect of macroclimate, a weaker effect of vegetation density, and no effect of elevation on the likelihood of Bd occurrence. Although most of our Bd-positive records overlapped with reported areas of high climatic suitability for the fungus in the Neotropics, many of our new Bd-positive samples extend far into areas of poor suitability for Bd in anurans. Our results highlight an important gap in the study of amphibian chytridiomycosis: the potential negative impact of Bd on Neotropical caecilians and the hypothetical role of caecilians as Bd reservoirs.

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Batrachochytriumdendrobatidisinfection patterns among Panamanian amphibian species, habitats and elevations during epizootic and enzootic stages

Cited by 104 publications

References 51 publications

Widespread occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus in Kenya

Widespread occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus in Kenya

A molecular perspective: biology of the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Spatial distribution of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in South American caecilians

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