Fish & Wildlife Disease: Amphibian Diseases
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By Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program
September 28, 2022
Amphibians are the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. Diseases (e.g., chytrid fungi, ranavirus, severe perkinsea infections (SPI)) are negatively impacting these species. Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd) was identified 15 years ago as one of the primary causes of death for many amphibians. However, the ecology and epidemiology of Bd is still being investigated. A second type of chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Bsal) is emerging in Europe. While Bsal primarily affects salamanders, frogs can also become infected and spread this disease. SPI has been associated with large-scale frog die-offs in at least 10 states.
USGS formed the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) to lead a cooperative national effort that is monitoring amphibians and researching potential causes of decline, including disease.
Amphibian Disease Research
Amphibian Disease Research
Explore our science using the data below.
Pathology and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles with histologically confirmed Severe Perkinsea Infections: Data Pathology and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles with histologically confirmed Severe Perkinsea Infections: Data
(i) This dataset presents macroscopic and microscopic pathological findings and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles diagnosed with Severe Perkinsea Infections. (ii) Specimen were collected and submitted to the NWHC as part of mortality investigations and collection of specimen from apparently healthy populations as part of ongoing amphibian health monitoring. (iii) Necropsies and gross...
Demography and habitat use of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) and other amphibians in northern Wyoming (Blackrock). Demography and habitat use of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) and other amphibians in northern Wyoming (Blackrock).
Amphibian decline is a problem of global importance, with over 40% of species considered at risk. This phenomenon is not limited to the tropics or to other countries. Amphibian species in the U.S. are also declining, contributing to the larger, global phenomenon. For example, in the State of Wyoming, the Wyoming toad has been extirpated in the wild and the boreal toad is a species of...
Pathogenic lineage of Perkinsea causes mass mortality of frogs across the USA: Data Pathogenic lineage of Perkinsea causes mass mortality of frogs across the USA: Data
Severe perkinsea data was based on the observation of characteristic gross and microscopic lesions and the morphological identification of Perkinsea organisms within the lesions. Necropsies and gross evaluation of carcasses were carried out under a dissecting microscope. Specimen were collected and submitted to the NWHC as part of mortality investigations and collection of specimen from...
Recent publications related to USGS amphibian disease research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS amphibian disease publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 29
Conservation genomics of an endangered montane amphibian reveals low population structure, low genomic diversity and selection pressure from disease Conservation genomics of an endangered montane amphibian reveals low population structure, low genomic diversity and selection pressure from disease
Wildlife diseases are a major global threat to biodiversity. Boreal toads (Anaxyrus [Bufo] boreas) are a state-endangered species in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, and a species of concern in Wyoming, largely due to lethal skin infections caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). We performed conservation and landscape genomic...
Authors
Daryl Trumbo, Bennett Hardy, Harry Crockett, Erin L. Muths, Brenna R. Forester, Rebecca Cheek, Shawna J Zimmerman, Sarah Corey-Rivas, Larissa L. Bailey, Chris Funk
Amphibians and reptiles Amphibians and reptiles
Amphibians and reptiles are a diverse group of ectothermic vertebrates that occupy a variety of habitats in rangelands of North America, from wetlands to the driest deserts. These two classes of vertebrates are often referred to as herpetofauna and are studied under the field of herpetology. In U.S. rangelands, there are approximately 66 species of frogs and toads, 58 salamanders, 98...
Authors
David S. Pilliod, Todd Esque
Keeping the heat on: Weighted surveillance for Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytirum dendrobatidis) in Dixie Valley toads (Anaxyrus [= Bufo] williamsi) Keeping the heat on: Weighted surveillance for Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytirum dendrobatidis) in Dixie Valley toads (Anaxyrus [= Bufo] williamsi)
Introduced fungal pathogens have caused declines and extinctions of naïve wildlife populations across vertebrate classes. Consequences of introduced pathogens to hosts with small ranges might be especially severe because of limited redundancy to rescue populations and lower abundance that may limit the resilience of populations to perturbations like disease introduction. As a complement...
Authors
Matthew J. Forrest, Brian J. Halstead, Daniel A. Grear, Patrick M. Kleeman, Brian D. Todd, Oliver J. Miano, Kris D. Urquhart
Successful eradication of invasive American bullfrogs leads to coextirpation of emerging pathogens Successful eradication of invasive American bullfrogs leads to coextirpation of emerging pathogens
Interventions of the host–pathogen dynamics provide strong tests of relationships, yet they are still rarely applied across multiple populations. After American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) invaded a wildlife refuge where federally threatened Chiricahua leopard frogs (R. chiricahuensis) were reintroduced 12 years prior, managers launched a landscape-scale eradication effort to help...
Authors
Blake R. Hossack, David L. Hall, Catherine L. Crawford, Caren S. Goldberg, Erin L. Muths, Brent H. Sigafus, Thierry Chambert
Optimal management decisions are robust to unknown dynamics in an amphibian metapopulation plagued by disease Optimal management decisions are robust to unknown dynamics in an amphibian metapopulation plagued by disease
Identifying conservation actions to recover threatened species can be challenging due to many ecological uncertainties. For example, major threats to a species' conservation are commonly known or suspected, but the specific impacts on population or metapopulation dynamics can be uncertain. This is frequently the case with emerging infectious diseases, including chytridiomycosis, a global...
Authors
Brian D. Gerber, Brittany A. Mosher, Larissa L. Bailey, Erin Muths, Harry J. Crockett, Sarah J. Converse
Compensatory recruitment unlikely in high-elevation amphibian populations challenged with disease Compensatory recruitment unlikely in high-elevation amphibian populations challenged with disease
Understanding the causes of population variation in host response to disease, and the mechanisms of persistence, can serve as vital information for species conservation. One such mechanism of population persistence that has gained support is the demographic process of compensatory recruitment. Host populations may persist by increasing recruitment to compensate for reduced survival due...
Authors
Bennett Hardy, Erin L. Muths, Bradley Lambert, Scott C. Schneider, W. C. Funk, Larissa L. Bailey
Amphibians are the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. Diseases (e.g., chytrid fungi, ranavirus, severe perkinsea infections (SPI)) are negatively impacting these species. Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd) was identified 15 years ago as one of the primary causes of death for many amphibians. However, the ecology and epidemiology of Bd is still being investigated. A second type of chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Bsal) is emerging in Europe. While Bsal primarily affects salamanders, frogs can also become infected and spread this disease. SPI has been associated with large-scale frog die-offs in at least 10 states.
USGS formed the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) to lead a cooperative national effort that is monitoring amphibians and researching potential causes of decline, including disease.
Amphibian Disease Research
Amphibian Disease Research
Explore our science using the data below.
Pathology and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles with histologically confirmed Severe Perkinsea Infections: Data Pathology and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles with histologically confirmed Severe Perkinsea Infections: Data
(i) This dataset presents macroscopic and microscopic pathological findings and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles diagnosed with Severe Perkinsea Infections. (ii) Specimen were collected and submitted to the NWHC as part of mortality investigations and collection of specimen from apparently healthy populations as part of ongoing amphibian health monitoring. (iii) Necropsies and gross...
Demography and habitat use of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) and other amphibians in northern Wyoming (Blackrock). Demography and habitat use of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) and other amphibians in northern Wyoming (Blackrock).
Amphibian decline is a problem of global importance, with over 40% of species considered at risk. This phenomenon is not limited to the tropics or to other countries. Amphibian species in the U.S. are also declining, contributing to the larger, global phenomenon. For example, in the State of Wyoming, the Wyoming toad has been extirpated in the wild and the boreal toad is a species of...
Pathogenic lineage of Perkinsea causes mass mortality of frogs across the USA: Data Pathogenic lineage of Perkinsea causes mass mortality of frogs across the USA: Data
Severe perkinsea data was based on the observation of characteristic gross and microscopic lesions and the morphological identification of Perkinsea organisms within the lesions. Necropsies and gross evaluation of carcasses were carried out under a dissecting microscope. Specimen were collected and submitted to the NWHC as part of mortality investigations and collection of specimen from...
Recent publications related to USGS amphibian disease research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS amphibian disease publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 29
Conservation genomics of an endangered montane amphibian reveals low population structure, low genomic diversity and selection pressure from disease Conservation genomics of an endangered montane amphibian reveals low population structure, low genomic diversity and selection pressure from disease
Wildlife diseases are a major global threat to biodiversity. Boreal toads (Anaxyrus [Bufo] boreas) are a state-endangered species in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, and a species of concern in Wyoming, largely due to lethal skin infections caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). We performed conservation and landscape genomic...
Authors
Daryl Trumbo, Bennett Hardy, Harry Crockett, Erin L. Muths, Brenna R. Forester, Rebecca Cheek, Shawna J Zimmerman, Sarah Corey-Rivas, Larissa L. Bailey, Chris Funk
Amphibians and reptiles Amphibians and reptiles
Amphibians and reptiles are a diverse group of ectothermic vertebrates that occupy a variety of habitats in rangelands of North America, from wetlands to the driest deserts. These two classes of vertebrates are often referred to as herpetofauna and are studied under the field of herpetology. In U.S. rangelands, there are approximately 66 species of frogs and toads, 58 salamanders, 98...
Authors
David S. Pilliod, Todd Esque
Keeping the heat on: Weighted surveillance for Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytirum dendrobatidis) in Dixie Valley toads (Anaxyrus [= Bufo] williamsi) Keeping the heat on: Weighted surveillance for Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytirum dendrobatidis) in Dixie Valley toads (Anaxyrus [= Bufo] williamsi)
Introduced fungal pathogens have caused declines and extinctions of naïve wildlife populations across vertebrate classes. Consequences of introduced pathogens to hosts with small ranges might be especially severe because of limited redundancy to rescue populations and lower abundance that may limit the resilience of populations to perturbations like disease introduction. As a complement...
Authors
Matthew J. Forrest, Brian J. Halstead, Daniel A. Grear, Patrick M. Kleeman, Brian D. Todd, Oliver J. Miano, Kris D. Urquhart
Successful eradication of invasive American bullfrogs leads to coextirpation of emerging pathogens Successful eradication of invasive American bullfrogs leads to coextirpation of emerging pathogens
Interventions of the host–pathogen dynamics provide strong tests of relationships, yet they are still rarely applied across multiple populations. After American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) invaded a wildlife refuge where federally threatened Chiricahua leopard frogs (R. chiricahuensis) were reintroduced 12 years prior, managers launched a landscape-scale eradication effort to help...
Authors
Blake R. Hossack, David L. Hall, Catherine L. Crawford, Caren S. Goldberg, Erin L. Muths, Brent H. Sigafus, Thierry Chambert
Optimal management decisions are robust to unknown dynamics in an amphibian metapopulation plagued by disease Optimal management decisions are robust to unknown dynamics in an amphibian metapopulation plagued by disease
Identifying conservation actions to recover threatened species can be challenging due to many ecological uncertainties. For example, major threats to a species' conservation are commonly known or suspected, but the specific impacts on population or metapopulation dynamics can be uncertain. This is frequently the case with emerging infectious diseases, including chytridiomycosis, a global...
Authors
Brian D. Gerber, Brittany A. Mosher, Larissa L. Bailey, Erin Muths, Harry J. Crockett, Sarah J. Converse
Compensatory recruitment unlikely in high-elevation amphibian populations challenged with disease Compensatory recruitment unlikely in high-elevation amphibian populations challenged with disease
Understanding the causes of population variation in host response to disease, and the mechanisms of persistence, can serve as vital information for species conservation. One such mechanism of population persistence that has gained support is the demographic process of compensatory recruitment. Host populations may persist by increasing recruitment to compensate for reduced survival due...
Authors
Bennett Hardy, Erin L. Muths, Bradley Lambert, Scott C. Schneider, W. C. Funk, Larissa L. Bailey