INFECTION DYNAMICS OF BATRACHOCHYTRIUM DENDROBATIDIS IN TWO FROG SPECIES INHABITING QUITO'S METROPOLITAN GUANGÜILTAGUA PARK, ECUADOR

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) infection is one of the principal causes of amphibian declines worldwide. The presence of Bd has been determined in Gastrotheca riobambae tadpoles that inhabit ponds in Quito's Metropolitan Guangüiltagua Park, Ecuador. This study sought to determine whether t...

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Published inJournal of wildlife diseases Vol. 57; no. 4; pp. 749 - 760
Main Authors Narváez-Narváez, David A., Cabrera-Andrade, Alejandro, Merino-Viteri, Andrés, Paz-y-Miño, César, Burgos, Germán, Genoy-Puerto, Alexander
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Wildlife Disease Association 01.10.2021
Subjects
Amphibians declines
Animals
Anura
Batrachochytrium
chytridiomycosis infection dynamics
Chytridiomycota
DISEASE ECOLOGY
Ecuador - epidemiology
Gastrotheca riobambae
Mycoses - epidemiology
Mycoses - veterinary
Pristimantis unistrigatus
urban parks
Ecuador
Gastrotheca riobambae
urban parks
chytridiomycosis infection dynamics
Pristimantis unistrigatus
Amphibians declines
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Summary:Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) infection is one of the principal causes of amphibian declines worldwide. The presence of Bd has been determined in Gastrotheca riobambae tadpoles that inhabit ponds in Quito's Metropolitan Guangüiltagua Park, Ecuador. This study sought to determine whether these tadpoles are infected and to determine the presence of chytridiomycosis in another frog species, Pristimantis unistrigatus, which also inhabits the park and has different reproductive biology and distinct behavioral habits. We used end-point and real-time PCR techniques to detect and quantify Bd infection. At 1 yr, samples were taken from the skin of P. unistrigatus using swabs and were also taken from the mouthparts of G. riobambae tadpoles. It was found that the two species were infected with a Bd prevalence of 39% (53/135) in G. riobambae tadpoles and 15% (57/382) in P. unistrigatus frogs. The two types of samples (tissue and swabs) from mouthparts showed differences in the zoospores per microliter loads (x̄=1,376.7±3,450.2 vs. x̄=285.0±652.3). Moreover, a correlation (r2=0.621) was discovered between the monthly mean maximum temperature of the pond with disease prevalence in G. riobambae tadpoles. Infection levels in the P. unistrigatus population varied significantly over time, and distance to the pond was a determinant factor for infection intensity.
ISSN:0090-3558
1943-3700
DOI:10.7589/JWD-D-20-00110