La chytridiomycose : une maladie émergente des amphibiens

  • Dejean T
  • Miaud C
  • Ouellet M
ISSN: 07549962
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Abstract

Amphibians face an unprecedented crisis. One-third of more than the 6500 species described in the world are today threatened by extinction. One of the proximal factors of this decline is an emergent infectious disease, chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. This fungus develops on the keratin of amphibians (buccal parts of tadpoles, skin of juveniles and adults). By now, it has been detected on 387 species in 45 countries, with mass mortalities in at least 7 of them. There are two main non-exclusive hypotheses to explain the recent emergence of chytridiomycosis: 1) this fungus was recently introduced into new geographical areas (via increased international trade and invasive species) and would lead to the death of native species sensitive to the pathogen, 2) this fungus would be naturally widespread and its virulence and\or the susceptibility of amphibian species would vary according to environmental conditions (in connection with climate change or synergy with other factors such as pollutants). In France, B. dendrobatidis was identified on one reservoir species of the fungus in its natural range: the American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). In 2006, this fungus was associated with massive mortality of amphibians in the French Pyrénées. This paper aims to present the main biological features of B. dendrobatidis and the current epidemiological knowledge, the acquisition of which is still in its initial phase in Europe.

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Dejean, T., Miaud, C., & Ouellet, M. (2010). La chytridiomycose : une maladie émergente des amphibiens. Bulletin de La Société Herpétologique de France, 134, 27–46.

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