Mucormycotic Dermatitis in Captive Adult Wyoming Toads

• Published in: Journal of wildlife diseases Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 70 - 74
• Main Authors: Taylor, Sharon K, Williams, Elizabeth S, Pier, A. C, Mills, Kenneth W, Bock, Mitchell D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wildlife Disease Association 01.01.1999; Wildlife Dis Assoc
• Subjects: Amphibian; Animals; Breeding; Bufo baxteri; Bufonidae; Dermatitis - epidemiology; Dermatitis - microbiology; Dermatitis - veterinary; Dermatomycoses - epidemiology; Dermatomycoses - microbiology; Dermatomycoses - veterinary; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Female; Freshwater; Hibernation; Male; mortality; Mucor; Mucor - isolation & purification; Mucor sp; Mucormycosis - epidemiology; Mucormycosis - microbiology; Mucormycosis - veterinary; mycotic dermatitis; SHORT COMMUNICATIONS; Stress, Physiological - complications; Stress, Physiological - veterinary; Wyoming - epidemiology; Wyoming toad; Wyoming
• ISSN: 0090-3558; 1943-3700
• DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-35.1.70

During late May 1995, 50 adult captive endangered Wyoming toads (Bufo baxteri) were brought out of hibernation. Approximately 3 to 10 days after hibernation emergence, all toads were hormonally induced to breed, and paired. Each pair was placed in their own breeding tank. Four toads developed clinical signs of disease which included lethargy and multiple (4 to 12) small (2 mm) raised hyperemic nodules with white fuzzy caps on the ventral skin. The condition progressively worsened until death occurred, within 3 to 6 days. Mycotic dermatitis caused by Mucor sp. was diagnosed in the four toads through histology and isolation of the organism. This is the first case report of a Mucor sp. causing a fatal dermatitis in an amphibian without significant inflammatory response and without systemic involvement.