Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat
Emerging infectious diseases are an increasingly important threat to wildlife conservation, with amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the disease most commonly associated with species declines and extinctions. However, some amphibians can be infected with B. dendroba...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2019-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/7021.pdf |
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| author | Michael A. Hudson Richard A. Griffiths Lloyd Martin Calvin Fenton Sarah-Louise Adams Alex Blackman Machel Sulton Matthew W. Perkins Javier Lopez Gerardo Garcia Benjamin Tapley Richard P. Young Andrew A. Cunningham |
| author_facet | Michael A. Hudson Richard A. Griffiths Lloyd Martin Calvin Fenton Sarah-Louise Adams Alex Blackman Machel Sulton Matthew W. Perkins Javier Lopez Gerardo Garcia Benjamin Tapley Richard P. Young Andrew A. Cunningham |
| author_sort | Michael A. Hudson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Emerging infectious diseases are an increasingly important threat to wildlife conservation, with amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the disease most commonly associated with species declines and extinctions. However, some amphibians can be infected with B. dendrobatidis in the absence of disease and can act as reservoirs of the pathogen. We surveyed robber frogs (Eleutherodactylus spp.), potential B. dendrobatidis reservoir species, at three sites on Montserrat, 2011–2013, and on Dominica in 2014, to identify seasonal patterns in B. dendrobatidis infection prevalence and load (B. dendrobatidis genomic equivalents). On Montserrat there was significant seasonality in B. dendrobatidis prevalence and B. dendrobatidis load, both of which were correlated with temperature but not rainfall. B. dendrobatidis prevalence reached 35% in the cooler, drier months but was repeatedly undetectable during the warmer, wetter months. Also, B. dendrobatidis prevalence significantly decreased from 53.2% when the pathogen emerged on Montserrat in 2009 to a maximum 34.8% by 2011, after which it remained stable. On Dominica, where B. dendrobatidis emerged seven years prior to Montserrat, the same seasonal pattern was recorded but at lower prevalence, possibly indicating long-term decline. Understanding the dynamics of disease threats such as chytridiomycosis is key to planning conservation measures. For example, reintroductions of chytridiomycosis-threatened species could be timed to coincide with periods of low B. dendrobatidis infection risk, increasing potential for reintroduction success. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:36:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c4dcb7e9fb54916a9d7b9442f2b50ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:36:01Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c4dcb7e9fb54916a9d7b9442f2b50ac2023-12-03T10:57:44ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592019-06-017e702110.7717/peerj.7021Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and MontserratMichael A. Hudson0Richard A. Griffiths1Lloyd Martin2Calvin Fenton3Sarah-Louise Adams4Alex Blackman5Machel Sulton6Matthew W. Perkins7Javier Lopez8Gerardo Garcia9Benjamin Tapley10Richard P. Young11Andrew A. Cunningham12Zoological Society of London, London, UKDurrell Insitute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UKDepartment of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Housing, Lands and Environment, Brades, Montserrat, West IndiesDepartment of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Housing, Lands and Environment, Brades, Montserrat, West IndiesDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey, Channel IslandsZoological Society of London, London, UKForestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Environment, Climate Resilience, Disaster Management and Urban Renewal, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West IndiesZoological Society of London, London, UKChester Zoo, Upton by Chester, Chester, UKChester Zoo, Upton by Chester, Chester, UKZoological Society of London, London, UKDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey, Channel IslandsZoological Society of London, London, UKEmerging infectious diseases are an increasingly important threat to wildlife conservation, with amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the disease most commonly associated with species declines and extinctions. However, some amphibians can be infected with B. dendrobatidis in the absence of disease and can act as reservoirs of the pathogen. We surveyed robber frogs (Eleutherodactylus spp.), potential B. dendrobatidis reservoir species, at three sites on Montserrat, 2011–2013, and on Dominica in 2014, to identify seasonal patterns in B. dendrobatidis infection prevalence and load (B. dendrobatidis genomic equivalents). On Montserrat there was significant seasonality in B. dendrobatidis prevalence and B. dendrobatidis load, both of which were correlated with temperature but not rainfall. B. dendrobatidis prevalence reached 35% in the cooler, drier months but was repeatedly undetectable during the warmer, wetter months. Also, B. dendrobatidis prevalence significantly decreased from 53.2% when the pathogen emerged on Montserrat in 2009 to a maximum 34.8% by 2011, after which it remained stable. On Dominica, where B. dendrobatidis emerged seven years prior to Montserrat, the same seasonal pattern was recorded but at lower prevalence, possibly indicating long-term decline. Understanding the dynamics of disease threats such as chytridiomycosis is key to planning conservation measures. For example, reintroductions of chytridiomycosis-threatened species could be timed to coincide with periods of low B. dendrobatidis infection risk, increasing potential for reintroduction success.https://peerj.com/articles/7021.pdfChytridiomycosisWildlife diseaseAmphibiansPathogen reservoirsDisease dynamicsConservation |
| spellingShingle | Michael A. Hudson Richard A. Griffiths Lloyd Martin Calvin Fenton Sarah-Louise Adams Alex Blackman Machel Sulton Matthew W. Perkins Javier Lopez Gerardo Garcia Benjamin Tapley Richard P. Young Andrew A. Cunningham Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat PeerJ Chytridiomycosis Wildlife disease Amphibians Pathogen reservoirs Disease dynamics Conservation |
| title | Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat |
| title_full | Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat |
| title_fullStr | Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat |
| title_short | Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat |
| title_sort | reservoir frogs seasonality of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in dominica and montserrat |
| topic | Chytridiomycosis Wildlife disease Amphibians Pathogen reservoirs Disease dynamics Conservation |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/7021.pdf |
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