Selected Emerging Diseases of Amphibia

Latney, La’Toya V.; Klaphake, Eric

doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2013.01.005

Cited by 22 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…As an endemic and neotenic species with a narrow ecological niche, olm is highly susceptible to infections ( Heard et al, 2013 ), especially to pathogens with a high mortality potential for urodelans ( Price et al, 2016 ; Spitzen-van der Sluijs et al, 2016 ) and amphibians in general. According to the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA), more than 40% of amphibian species are in decline, while an additional 32% are threatened ( Latney and Klaphake, 2013 ). The main microbial threats to amphibian diversity are the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans ( Scheele et al, 2019 ), and ranaviruses ( Price et al, 2016 ; Spitzen-van der Sluijs et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other important fungal infections that contribute to global amphibian declines ( Latney and Klaphake, 2013 ) include chromomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis, zygomycosis, and saprolegniosis, the latter caused by water molds (Oomycota, Stramenopiles). Due to the unique physiology and ecology of amphibians, water is one of the main vectors for transmission of these pathogens ( Robert et al, 2011 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cultivable Skin Mycobiota of Healthy and Diseased Blind Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus)

et al. 2022

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Proteus anguinus is a neotenic cave salamander, endemic to the Dinaric Karst and a symbol of world natural heritage. It is classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is one of the EU priority species in need of strict protection. Due to inaccessibility of their natural underground habitat, scientific studies of the olm have been conducted mainly in captivity, where the amphibians are particularly susceptible to opportunistic microbial infections. In this report, we focused on the diversity of cultivable commensal fungi isolated from the skin of asymptomatic and symptomatic animals obtained from nature (20 specimens) and captivity (22 specimens), as well as from underground water of two karstic caves by direct water filtration and by exposure of keratin-based microbial baits and subsequent isolation from them. In total 244 fungal isolates were recovered from the animals and additional 153 isolates were obtained from water samples. Together, these isolates represented 87 genera and 166 species. Symptomatic animals were colonized by a variety of fungal species, most of them represented by a single isolate, including genera known for their involvement in chromomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis and zygomycosis in amphibians: Acremonium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Exophiala, Fusarium, Mucor, Ochroconis, Phialophora and Penicillium. One symptomatic specimen sampled from nature was infected by the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica, the known causative agent of saprolegniosis. This is the first comprehensive report on cultivable skin mycobiome of this unique amphibian in nature and in captivity, with an emphasis on potentially pathogenic fungi and oomycetes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultivable Skin Mycobiota of Healthy and Diseased Blind Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus)

et al. 2022

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“…Infectious dermatitis in amphibians has been well described in the literature over the past decade with various aetiological causes. Common aetiologies that have been reported include Mycobacterium spp., Ranavirus and Ranid Herpesvirus 3 2,5–14 . Common mycotic agents that have been isolated include Basidiobolus ranarum , Mucor spp., Saprolegnia spp., Fusarium spp., Rhizopus spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Common aetiologies that have been reported include Mycobacterium spp., Ranavirus and Ranid Herpesvirus 3. 2,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Common mycotic agents that have been isolated include Basidiobolus ranarum, Mucor spp., Saprolegnia spp., Fusarium spp., Rhizopus spp. and Batrachochytrium spp., among others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical management of dermatitis‐associated morbidity and mortality in endangered Houston toads (Anaxyrus houstonensis)

Noriega

Oliveira²,

Crump

et al. 2022

Vet Record Case Reports

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The Houston toad (Anaxyrus [Bufo] houstonensis) is protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and is endemic to east central Texas. Since 2007, the Houston Zoo Inc. participated in Houston toad recovery through captive breeding, re‐introduction and maintenance of a captive assurance colony. During 2012 and 2013, the zoo's Houston toad colony experienced increased morbidity and mortality attributed to dermatitis of various aetiologies. An 8‐month time period, from September 2012 through April 2013, was selected to evaluate disease aetiology, treatments administered and success of therapy. A total of 248 toad records were reviewed. During this time, 52 toads that died with dermatitis associated with a fungal or bacterial aetiology or a combination of both were included in the review. Toads that survived (n = 196) had been treated with either oral enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg once daily), itraconazole baths (0.01% solution for 10–15 minutes once daily), enhanced nutrition or a combination of these therapies.

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“…Global amphibian declines have been attributed to a variety of factors including habitat destruction, contamination, UV-B radiation, climate change, overexploitation, and infectious diseases ( Alford & Richards, 1999 ; Collins & Crump, 2009 ; Heard et al, 2013 ). Diseases caused by microparasites have been linked to massive mortality events and extinctions, and the causative agents can be viral, bacterial, or caused by protists and fungi ( Latney & Klaphake, 2013 ; Chambouvet et al, 2015 ). Emerging diseases caused by fungi have become more problematic and the impact on the affected groups are much more alarming ( Wake & Vredenburg, 2008 ; Fisher et al, 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of captivity on the skin microbial symbionts in threeAtelopusspecies from the lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador

Flechas

Blasco-Zúñiga

Merino‐Viteri

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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Many amphibian species are at risk of extinction in their natural habitats due to the presence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). For the most highly endangered species, captive assurance colonies have been established as an emergency measure to avoid extinction. Experimental research has suggested that symbiotic microorganisms in the skin of amphibians play a key role against Bd. While previous studies have addressed the effects of captivity on the cutaneous bacterial community, it remains poorly studied whether and how captive conditions affect the proportion of beneficial bacteria or their anti-Bd performance on amphibian hosts. In this study we sampled three amphibian species of the highly threatened genus, Atelopus, that remain in the wild but are also part of ex situ breeding programs in Colombia and Ecuador. Our goals were to (1) estimate the diversity of culturable bacterial assemblages in these three species of Atelopus, (2) describe the effect of captivity on the composition of skin microbiota, and (3) examine how captivity affects the bacterial ability to inhibit Bd growth. Using challenge assays we tested each bacterial isolate against Bd, and through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we identified species from thirteen genera of bacteria that inhibited Bd growth. Surprisingly, we did not detect a reduction in skin bacteria diversity in captive frogs. Moreover, we found that frogs in captivity still harbor bacteria with anti-Bd activity. Although the scope of our study is limited to a few species and to the culturable portion of the bacterial community, our results indicate that captive programs do not necessarily change bacterial communities of the toad skins in a way that impedes the control of Bd in case of an eventual reintroduction.

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Selected Emerging Diseases of Amphibia

Cited by 22 publications

References 80 publications

Cultivable Skin Mycobiota of Healthy and Diseased Blind Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus)

Cultivable Skin Mycobiota of Healthy and Diseased Blind Cave Salamander (Proteus anguinus)

Medical management of dermatitis‐associated morbidity and mortality in endangered Houston toads (Anaxyrus houstonensis)

The effect of captivity on the skin microbial symbionts in threeAtelopusspecies from the lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador

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