Chytridiomycosis is a fatal infectious disease that affects amphibians, caused by the chytrid fungus - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Chytridiomycosis has caused dramatic population declines or even extinctions in western North America, Central America, South America, and eastern Australia. There is no effective measure for control of the disease in wild populations. The disease is contributing to a worldwide decline in frog populations and it has been advanced that it is partially responsible for the dramatic declines of 30% of the frog species in the world in the past 15 years.

Although many declines have been credited to the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, there are species that resist the infection and some reports have found that some populations can survive with a low level of persistence of the disease. In addition, most of the laboratory studies are not ecologically-relevant, which makes it difficult to take their conclusions to the field.

The first reports of infection of Batrachochytrium are from African clawed frogs of the genus Xenopus. Because Xenopus has been widely transported around the world, it is one potential vector for transmision of Bd. However, other studies suggest that Bd has been present in North and Central America for decades.

Laboratory studies suggest that the fungus performs poorly at low temperatures, and that exposure of infected frogs to high temperatures will kill the fungus. This is believed to explain why chytridiomycosis occurs primarily in cool climates.

In September 2005 it was identified as being present in a colony of American bullfrogs in the south-east of England.

External links

• Chytridiomycosis
• Wildlife Trade and Global Disease Emergence
• Origin of the amphibian chytrid fungus

Animal diseases | Fungal diseases | Chytridpilz | Chytridiomycosis