The amphibian chytrid fungus in Bavarian populations of Alytes obstetricans: past absence, current presence, and metamorph mortality

Böll, Susanne; Tobler, Ursina; Geiger, Corina C.; Hansbauer, Günter; Schmidt, Benedikt R.

doi:10.1163/156853812x651856

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Our study species was the common midwife toad Alytes obstetricans, which is highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis (Bosch et al 2001, Pasmans et al 2010, Tobler & Schmidt 2010, Böll et al 2012. In A. obstetricans, mortality occurs usually shortly after metamorphosis (Tobler & Schmidt 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory tests of antifungal agents to treat tadpoles against the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Geiger¹,

Schmidt²

2013

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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The fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which is the etiological agent of the disease chytridiomycosis, is threatening both wild and captive amphibians. While there are some methods of treating amphibians in captivity, no method has yet been shown to be a promising treatment for amphibian populations in natural habitats. Here we present the results of a laboratory experiment in which we tested 2 antifungal agents that might be used to treat amphibians in the field. As a first step towards the goal of developing mitigation methods, we tested the efficiency of these agents in reducing Bd prevalence and loads (zoospore counts) in the laboratory. We exposed naturally infected tadpoles of the midwife toad Alytes obstetricans to different concentrations of the antifungal agents for 7 d. We found that Virkon Aquatic® affected neither Bd prevalence nor loads. At 0.625 ml l-1 of General Tonic®, prevalence was reduced to 60%, and infected animals had greatly reduced burdens. However, tadpole length was reduced by 19% and mass by 32% on average compared to the control group, suggesting a negative effect on fitness. Tadpole survival was not affected at 0.625 ml l-1 or 1.25 ml l-1, but was reduced to 60% at 2.5 ml l-1. Keeping animals in a dilution of General Tonic® for 7 d at a concentration of 0.625 ml l-1 might be an easy way to reduce zoospore counts in large numbers of animals at relatively low cost.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory tests of antifungal agents to treat tadpoles against the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Geiger¹,

Schmidt²

2013

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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“…Epidemiological studies carried out in Western Europe show that Bd is present in nature in all the countries studied, with occurrences and prevalence varying between species (Wood et al ., ; Spitzen‐van der Sluijs & Zollinger, ; Walker et al ., ; Sztatecsny & Glaser, ; Böll et al ., ; Tobler et al ., ; Miaud, ; Ohst et al ., ; Spitzen‐van der Sluijs et al ., ). However, the mortality episodes attributable to this fungus are often very localized.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A first screening of chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium in amphibians in French zoos

Marquis

Miaud

Gibault³

et al. 2019

International Zoo Yearbook

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Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) screening was carried out in captive amphibians in order to establish the presence of these fungal pathogens in French zoos. Over a period of 3 years, 437 skin swabs were collected at eight French zoos and one private breeding centre [38 species of Anura, 7 species and 2 subspecies of Urodela (salamanders and newts), and 1 caecilian species] and these were analysed using qPCR. None of the samples revealed the presence of Bsal. Bd was detected four times on three species – American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus, Common midwife toad Alytes obstetricans and Yellow‐bellied toad Bombina variegata – all of which originated from or were in contact with the natural environment.

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“…org/ web/ packages/R2WinBUGS/), and the soft ware WinBUGS (Lunn et al 2000) were used to estimate the posterior distribution of prevalence (Kéry 2010, Böll et al 2012, Lötters et al 2012). We used a uniform prior for prevalence (e.g.…”

Section: Prevalencementioning

confidence: 99%

No evidence for effects of infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus on populations of yellow-bellied toads

Wagner

Neubeck²,

Guicking³

et al. 2017

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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The parasitic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd ) can cause the lethal disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians and therefore may play a role in population declines. The yellow-bellied toad Bombina variegata suffered strong declines throughout western and northwestern parts of its range and is therefore listed as highly endangered for Germany and the federal state of Hesse. Whether chytridiomycosis may play a role in the observed local declines of this strictly protected anuran species has never been tested. We investigated 19 Hessian yellowbellied toad populations for Bd infection rates, conducted capture-mark-recapture studies in 4 of them over 2 to 3 yr, examined survival histories of recaptured infected individuals, and tested whether multi-locus heterozygosity of individuals as well as expected heterozygosity and different environmental variables of populations affect probabilities of Bd infection. Our results show high prevalence of Bd infection in Hessian yellow-bellied toad populations, but although significant decreases in 2 populations could be observed, no causative link to Bd as the reason for this can be established. Mass mortalities or obvious signs of disease in individuals were not observed. Conversely, we show that growth of Bd-infected populations is possible under favorable habitat conditions and that most infected individuals could be recaptured with improved body indices. Neither genetic diversity nor environmental variables appeared to affect Bd infection probabilities. Hence, genetically diverse amphibian specimens and populations may not automatically be less susceptible for Bd infection.

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The amphibian chytrid fungus in Bavarian populations of Alytes obstetricans: past absence, current presence, and metamorph mortality

Cited by 5 publications

References 24 publications

Laboratory tests of antifungal agents to treat tadpoles against the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Laboratory tests of antifungal agents to treat tadpoles against the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

A first screening of chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium in amphibians in French zoos

No evidence for effects of infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus on populations of yellow-bellied toads

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