Soto-Azat, C;
Peñafiel-Ricaurte, A;
Price, SJ;
Sallaberry-Pincheira, N;
García, MP;
Alvarado-Rybak, M;
Cunningham, AA;
(2016)
Xenopus laevis and Emerging Amphibian Pathogens in Chile.
EcoHealth
, 13
(4)
pp. 775-783.
10.1007/s10393-016-1186-9.
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Abstract
Amphibians face an extinction crisis with no precedence. Two emerging infectious diseases, ranaviral disease caused by viruses within the genus Ranavirus and chytridiomycosis due to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), have been linked with amphibian mass mortalities and population declines in many regions of the globe. The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) has been indicated as a vector for the spread of these pathogens. Since the 1970s, this species has been invasive in central Chile. We collected X. laevis and dead native amphibians in Chile between 2011 and 2013. We conducted post-mortem examinations and molecular tests for Ranavirus and Bd. Eight of 187 individuals (4.3 %) tested positive for Ranavirus: seven X. laevis and a giant Chilean frog (Calyptocephallela gayi). All positive cases were from the original area of X. laevis invasion. Bd was found to be more prevalent (14.4 %) and widespread than Ranavirus, and all X. laevis Bd-positive animals presented low to moderate levels of infection. Sequencing of a partial Ranavirus gene revealed 100 % sequence identity with Frog Virus 3. This is the first report of Ranavirus in Chile, and these preliminary results are consistent with a role for X. laevis as an infection reservoir for both Ranavirus and Bd.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Xenopus laevis and Emerging Amphibian Pathogens in Chile |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10393-016-1186-9 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10393-016-1186-9 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © International Association for Ecology and Health 2016. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10393-016-1186-9 |
| Keywords: | Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Chile, Emerging infectious diseases, Ranavirus, Reservoir, Xenopus laevis |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences > Genetics, Evolution and Environment |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1515978 |
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