Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea
Abstract Emerging infectious diseases threaten the persistence of biodiversity globally. The amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is one of the most widespread and damaging pathogens to biodiversity. New Guinea hosts 6% of the world's frogs and is the largest landmass where...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Conservation Science and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.256 |
| _version_ | 1818416704109150208 |
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| author | Deborah S. Bower Charlotte K. Jennings Rebecca J. Webb Yolarnie Amepou Lin Schwarzkopf Lee Berger Ross A. Alford Arthur Georges Donald T. McKnight Leah Carr Dillian Nason Simon Clulow |
| author_facet | Deborah S. Bower Charlotte K. Jennings Rebecca J. Webb Yolarnie Amepou Lin Schwarzkopf Lee Berger Ross A. Alford Arthur Georges Donald T. McKnight Leah Carr Dillian Nason Simon Clulow |
| author_sort | Deborah S. Bower |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Emerging infectious diseases threaten the persistence of biodiversity globally. The amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is one of the most widespread and damaging pathogens to biodiversity. New Guinea hosts 6% of the world's frogs and is the largest landmass where B. dendrobatidis remains undetected despite being largely climatically suitable for its persistence. We surveyed for B. dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea, by swabbing live frogs in the Gulf Province and Eastern Highlands Province and by examining museum specimens from a range of sites and elevations. Here, we show that over a large geographical range, all 442 samples were negative for B. dendrobatidis. The spread of B. dendrobatidis to Papua New Guinea may have been thus far prevented by the remoteness of New Guinea and the hotter climate in its lowlands, which surrounds a more climatically suitable zone for B. dendrobatidis in the highlands. Alternatively, B. dendrobatidis may be present in isolated patches or at low levels and remain undetected, to date. Papua New Guinea remains at risk and would benefit from a national disease surveillance program for chytrid fungi and pre‐emptive actions, designed to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. Measures should include improved biosecurity protocols for trade and travel and continued disease surveillance in areas of probable entry and spread. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:55:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b1c65205789403cb150c923eddd881e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2578-4854 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:55:07Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b1c65205789403cb150c923eddd881e2022-12-21T23:02:07ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542020-09-0129n/an/a10.1111/csp2.256Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New GuineaDeborah S. Bower0Charlotte K. Jennings1Rebecca J. Webb2Yolarnie Amepou3Lin Schwarzkopf4Lee Berger5Ross A. Alford6Arthur Georges7Donald T. McKnight8Leah Carr9Dillian Nason10Simon Clulow11College of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland AustraliaMuseum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley California USACollege of Public Health Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook UniversityInstitute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaCollege of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School University of Melbourne Werribee Victoria AustraliaCollege of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland AustraliaInstitute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaCollege of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland AustraliaCollege of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland AustraliaBiological Science Department University of Goroka Goroka Papua New GuineaSchool of Environmental and Life Science University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales AustraliaAbstract Emerging infectious diseases threaten the persistence of biodiversity globally. The amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is one of the most widespread and damaging pathogens to biodiversity. New Guinea hosts 6% of the world's frogs and is the largest landmass where B. dendrobatidis remains undetected despite being largely climatically suitable for its persistence. We surveyed for B. dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea, by swabbing live frogs in the Gulf Province and Eastern Highlands Province and by examining museum specimens from a range of sites and elevations. Here, we show that over a large geographical range, all 442 samples were negative for B. dendrobatidis. The spread of B. dendrobatidis to Papua New Guinea may have been thus far prevented by the remoteness of New Guinea and the hotter climate in its lowlands, which surrounds a more climatically suitable zone for B. dendrobatidis in the highlands. Alternatively, B. dendrobatidis may be present in isolated patches or at low levels and remain undetected, to date. Papua New Guinea remains at risk and would benefit from a national disease surveillance program for chytrid fungi and pre‐emptive actions, designed to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. Measures should include improved biosecurity protocols for trade and travel and continued disease surveillance in areas of probable entry and spread.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.256biosecuritydiseasefungiinvasiveislandNew Guinea |
| spellingShingle | Deborah S. Bower Charlotte K. Jennings Rebecca J. Webb Yolarnie Amepou Lin Schwarzkopf Lee Berger Ross A. Alford Arthur Georges Donald T. McKnight Leah Carr Dillian Nason Simon Clulow Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea Conservation Science and Practice biosecurity disease fungi invasive island New Guinea |
| title | Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea |
| title_full | Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea |
| title_fullStr | Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea |
| title_short | Disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Papua New Guinea |
| title_sort | disease surveillance of the amphibian chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in papua new guinea |
| topic | biosecurity disease fungi invasive island New Guinea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.256 |
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