Global Emergence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Amphibian Chytridiomycosis in Space, Time, and Host
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a chytrid fungus that causes chytridiomycosis in amphibians. Only named in 1999, Bd is a proximate driver of declines in global amphibian biodiversity. The pathogen infects over 350 species of amphibians and is found on all continents except Antarctica. However, the processes that have led to the global distribution of Bd […]
Survival of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on bare hands and gloves: hygiene implications for amphibian handling
Hygiene protocols for handling amphibians in the field and in laboratories have been proposed to decrease the transmission of chytridiomycosis caused by infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which is responsible for global amphibian declines. However, these protocols are mainly based on theoretical principles. The aim of this study was to develop an […]
Pathogenicity of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis in Larval Ambystomatid Salamanders
Abstract.—Chytridiomycosis is a disease of amphibians caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which colonizes keratinized tissues in adult and larval amphibians. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the host-pathogen ecology of Bd in larval anurans, yet little is known about how Bd affects larval salamanders. Because the structure of keratinized jaw sheaths in […]
Detection of pathogenic Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis using water filtration, animal and bait testing
The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) can be challenging to detect at endangered amphibian reintroduction sites. Pre-release Bd detection can be confounded by imperfect animal sampling and the absence of animals. In Study 1, we used historical Bd-positive sites, to concurrently evaluate water filtrates and mouth bar (tadpoles) or skin swab (caudates) samples for Bd using […]