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- Title
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection and Lethal Chytridiomycosis in Caecilian Amphibians (Gymnophiona).
- Authors
Gower, David; Doherty-Bone, Thomas; Loader, Simon; Wilkinson, Mark; Kouete, Marcel; Tapley, Benjamin; Orton, Frances; Daniel, Olivia; Wynne, Felicity; Flach, Edmund; Müller, Hendrik; Menegon, Michele; Stephen, Ian; Browne, Robert; Fisher, Mathew; Cunningham, Andrew; Garner, Trenton
- Abstract
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.
- Subjects
BATRACHOCHYTRIUM dendrobatidis; CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS; CAECILIANS; ANIMALS; POLYMERASE chain reaction
- Publication
EcoHealth, 2013, Vol 10, Issue 2, p173
- ISSN
1612-9202
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10393-013-0831-9