Detection of Chytridiomycosis Caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the Endangered Sardinian Newt (Euproctus platycephalus) in Southern Sardinia, Italy

Bovero, Stefano; Sotgiu, Giuseppe; Angelini, Claudio; Doglio, Stefano; Gazzaniga, Enrico; Cunningham, Andrew A.; Garner, Trenton W. J.

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-44.3.712

Cited by 38 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…However, direct evidence of human-mediated movement of Bd has, until recently, been lacking. Surveillance data also show that Bd has probably been introduced recently in Dominica (Garcia et al 2007), the UK (Cunningham et al 2005), New Zealand (Bell et al 2004), Hawaii (Beard & O'Neill 2005), Japan (Une et al 2008), Sardinia (Bovero et al 2008) and Mallorca (Walker et al 2008).…”

Section: New Introductionsmentioning

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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Section: New Introductionsmentioning

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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“…The first record in captivity describes infection of imported, wildcollected animals as well as captive-reared amphibians, both sampled in 1999 in Germany and Belgium (Mutschmann et al 2000). Since then our knowledge regarding the distribution of infection in Europe and European hosts has increased substantially (Garner et al 2005;Bosch & Martínez-Solano 2006;Garner et al 2006;Bosch et al 2007;Bovero et al 2008b;Walker et al 2008;Bielby et al 2009;Garner et al 2009b;Pasmans et al 2010;Tobler & Schmidt 2010;Walker et al 2010;Ohst et al 2011;Sztatecsny & Glaser 2011). Bd was detected for the first time in Italy in 2000 (as reported in ), but little is known regarding the impact of Bd on Italy's highly diverse amphibian fauna.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…data). Robust breeding assemblages of Hyla sarda or Euproctus platycephalus occur at two of these locations, and co-occurring E. platycephalus also exhibit persistent, interannual infections without any observed evidence of unusual mortality (Bovero et al 2008a(Bovero et al , 2008bZirichiltaggi -SWC, unpubl. data).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most reports involve extremely small sample sizes haphazardly collected, only provide single or a few data points showing presence of infection, and are inadequate for more general spatial analyses or comparisons of prevalence amongst hosts (Garner et al 2006;Adams et al 2008;Bovero et al 2008b;Federici et al 2008;Ficetola et al 2011). Somewhat more robust and targeted sampling by Simoncelli et al (2005) detected infection with Bd in the nonhybrid member of a Pelophylax spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The pandemic pathogen of amphibians,Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis(Phylum Chytridiomycota), in Italy

Tessa

Angelini²,

Bielby

et al. 2013

Italian Journal of Zoology

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Worldwide amphibian declines and species losses are global problems and emerging infectious diseases have been identified as one of the major threats. The worst of these is chytridiomycosis, an amphibian disease caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Here we review what is known of the distribution of Bd and chytridiomycosis in Italy. We critically summarize the evidence in support of the hypothesis that Bd is an invasive pathogen in Italy. Last we provide recommendations for immediate research needs, both for basic science and applied conservation.

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“…Anecdotal reports indicate an increase in the amount of sloughed skin associated with Bd infected hosts (either on the individual, or within enclosures; Berger et al 1998;Davidson et al 2003;Bovero et al 2008;Padgett-Flohr 2008;Becker & Harris 2010;). This has been attributed to an increase in sloughing rate, but there is little evidence to support this claim directly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions between amphibian skin sloughing and a cutaneous fungal disease: infection progression, immune defence, and phylogenetic patterns

Ohmer¹

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Worldwide, there has been an unprecedented rise in emerging infectious diseases of wildlife, and this has contributed to a widespread biodiversity crisis. Amphibian populations, in particular, are threatened by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which in post-metamorphic animals only infects the skin, and causes the potentially lethal disease chytridiomycosis. Amphibians regularly slough their skin, and in doing so remove many skinassociated microbes. Thus, skin sloughing may play an important role in the pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis. To investigate this association, the influence of Bd infection on amphibian skin sloughing, and the role of sloughing in regulating infection, was examined. Furthermore, to better understand the variation in skin sloughing rates across species and ecological groups, and make inferences about the role of this process in susceptibility to this fungal disease, amphibian skin structure and function was investigated within a phylogenetic context. To determine the relationship between skin sloughing and disease progression (chapter 2), adult green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) were exposed to an Australian Bd strain, and sloughing rates and infection load were monitored on a naturalistic cycling temperature regime (15 -23˚C).Sloughing rates were determined by filming frogs and infection intensity was monitored before and after sloughing with conventional swabbing and quantitative PCR. Sloughing rate was found to increase with Bd infection load in infected frogs, but sloughing itself did not affect Bd load on the ventral skin surface. Although a faster sloughing rate might be considered advantageous for Bdinfected animals, it does not appear to curb the progression of disease in susceptible species. In fact, sloughing may actually contribute to the loss of physiological homeostasis seen in terminally ill frogs by further inhibiting water and electrolyte transport across the skin.In some species less susceptible to chytridiomycosis, it has been demonstrated that Bd growth remains epibiotic, without penetrating the underlying epidermal layers. Therefore, sloughing may more effectively remove Bd zoospores in less susceptible species (chapter 3). To test this hypothesis, five Australian frog species, Lit. caerulea, Platyplectrum ornatum, Lechriodus fletcheri, Limnodynastes peronii, and Lim. tasmaniensis, were exposed to an Australian Bd strain, and their sloughing rates and infection loads monitored over time. Utilising an improved methodology to remove any artefacts from the swabbing itself, sloughing was found to reduce Bd load on the ventral skin surface, in all five species, despite wide ranging variation in susceptibility to Bd infection and subsequent disease. In less susceptible species, sloughing reduced Bd load up to 100%, leading to infection clearance. However, the drop in Bd load was only temporary in susceptible species, potentially due to the invasive growth of Bd in skin layers underlying the ii stratum corneum in these species. If less suscept...

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Detection of Chytridiomycosis Caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the Endangered Sardinian Newt (Euproctus platycephalus) in Southern Sardinia, Italy

Cited by 38 publications

References 20 publications

A molecular perspective: biology of the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

A molecular perspective: biology of the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

The pandemic pathogen of amphibians,Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis(Phylum Chytridiomycota), in Italy

Interactions between amphibian skin sloughing and a cutaneous fungal disease: infection progression, immune defence, and phylogenetic patterns

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