1. Pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis, a cause of catastrophic amphibian declines
- Author
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Voyles, Jamie, Young, Sam, Berger, Lee, Campbell, Craig, Voyles, Wyatt F., Dinudom, Anuwat, Cook, David, Webb, Rebecca, Alford, Ross A., Skerratt, Lee F., and Speare, Rick
- Subjects
Hyla -- Diseases ,Infectious skin diseases -- Development and progression ,Science and technology - Abstract
The pathogen Botrochochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, is one of the few highly virulent fungi in vertebrates and has been implicated in worldwide amphibian declines. However, the mechanism by which Bd causes death has not been determined. We show that Bd infection is associated with pathophysiological changes that lead to mortality in green tree frogs (Litoria coeruleo). In diseased individuals, electrolyte transport across the epidermis was inhibited by >50%, plasma sodium and potassium concentrations were respectively reduced by ~20% and ~50%, and asystolic cardiac arrest resulted in death. Because the skin is critical in maintaining amphibian homeostasis, disruption to cutaneous function may be the mechanism by which Bd produces morbidity and mortality across a wide range of phylogenetically distant amphibian taxa. 10.1126/science.1176765
- Published
- 2009
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