Chytrid!!!!!!????????

[JSG]

To all you experts out there...what the hecks is chytrid? What causes it and how can it be prevented from entering your vivs?
I've just now read that someone has lost his entire collection of frogs due to chytrid! So please inform us if you know ANYTHING about this!

[bshmerlie]

Go to Amphibian Ark and click on The Crisis and then Chytrid fungus. They have a very good article on chytrid and what it is doing to frog population around the world. There is also a documentary called The Thin Green Line that is a must see by every frog lover out there. I think it was made by PBS. The best two ways to keep chytrid out of your collection is by buying only captive bred frogs from a well known and respected breeder. The second way is to follow very strict quarantine procedures when you bring any new frog into your collection. Preferably the quarantined frog isn't even in the same room as the rest of your frog tanks. Do some research on some of the quarantine procedures and follow them. Its easier to prevent diseases from getting into your collection that it is to try to get rid of it once its there. Hope this helps....and check out that website.

[Leefrogs]

also fully sterlize anything you use from outside, the 3 B's. Bake, boil, or bleach. Bleach water dilute 1/10 water, soak overnight, scrub, and soak in clean water overnight. There's also a chytrid map, I don't know if Africa has had any in the wild, even if not, sterilize anyway.

[tgampper]

Hi!

The African Amphibian Conservation Group has some info on chytrid, Their home page is AACRG.

There is a short article you can download that explains the connection between chytrid and the common platanna (Xenopus laevis), Animal Aid: Endangered frogs - the vivisection connection

Chytrid affects frogs in Australia. DECCW | Frog Chytrid fungus

I hope some of the resources will help you to understand what chytrid is and how deadly it is. Last summer, I worked at the local zoo who had a close working relationship with the Johannesburg Zoo in the area of amphibian conservation. I had a chance to meet some of the amphibian keepers from South Africa. Some of the amphibians I worked with were carriers of chytrid.

[Kurt]

I would also add to this conversation by saying, chytrid, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is a very weak organism and is easily destroyed. It can be killed by the previously mentioned methods, as well as by desiccation and warm temperatures.

[JSG]

Thank you so much Cheri, Ginger and Terry will certainly follow and read up on those links!

@ Terry; do you mean to tell me that our indigenous / native South African Frogs carry this dreaded and fatal fungus?
This is maybe why I am battling so much as regards to getting anyone from our local Department of Nature Conservation to give me the green light to import my first frogs regardless from where they are or which species!

[tgampper]

Hi:

Many scientists studying chytrid say there is an "out of Africa" connection. The disase was first discovered around 1930 in South Arfica among the common platanna (Xenopus laevis). These frogs are carriers of chytrid. Since this species is used in and pregnancy testing, labs all over the world dumped their frogs in the local ponds and streams, one reason why this fungual disease spread so quickly around the wgeneticsorld.

Here is an additional report:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol10n...fs/03-0804.pdf

As Kurt mentioned, the disease could be killed by warm temperatures, I understand that the waxy monkey frogs of central and south America may have a natural defense against chytrid since they secrete a "sun screen" that protects their skin from dessication when exposed to the hot sun.

Host species and localities of chytridiomycosis in Africa

BOTSWANA
Host species Locality Date Reference
Pipidae
Xenopus laevis Kanye Youth Centre Apr-69 Weldon 2005
Xenopus petersii Southern Botswana Apr-65 Weldon 2005

GHANA
Host species Locality Date Reference
Pipidae
Xenopus tropicalis Ghana 2003 Morehouse et al. 2003

KENYA
Host species Locality Date Reference
Ranidae
Ptychadena anchietae Nairobi 2000 Berger & Speare 2000

LESOTHO
Host species Locality Date Reference
Ranidae
Afrana dracomontana near Katsi Dam Dec-04 Weldon 2005
Amietia vertebralis Makheleng River Sep-00 Weldon 2005
Matsoku River Sep-00 Weldon 2005
Redi river Sep-00 Weldon 2005
Sani Tributary Oct-00 Weldon 2005
near Katsi Dam Dec-04 Weldon 2005

SOUTH AFRICA
Host species Locality Date Reference
Bufonidae
Bufo robinsoni Northern Cape, Springbok Aug-04 Weldon 2005
Heleophrynidae
Heleophryne purcelli Western Cape, Grootwinterhoek Sep-98 Weldon 2005
Heleophryne regis Western Cape, Oudtshoorn Nov-81 Weldon 2005
Hyperoliidae
Kassina senegalensis Eastern Cape, Kenton on Sea Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Ranidae
Afrana dracomontana Free State, Meiringskloof Dec-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Northern Cape, Gharries Jun-96 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Eastern Cape, Stutterheim Sep-02 Lane et al. 2003
Afrana fuscigula Northern Cape, Kammieskroon May-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Northern Cape, Kammieskroon Aug-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Northern Cape, Kammiesberg Aug-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Northern Cape, Springbok Aug-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana fuscigula Northern Cape, Goegap NR Aug-04 Weldon 2005
Afrana angolensis Limpopo Province, Bela-Bela Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Cacosternum boettgeri Eastern Cape, Kenton on Sea Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Strongylopus fasciatus Eastern Cape, Kenton on Sea Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Tomopterna cryptotis Limpopo Province, Bela-Bela Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Tomopterna natalensis Limpopo Province, Bela-Bela Oct-04 Weldon 2005
Pipidae
Xenopus gilli Western Cape 1943 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus gilli Western Cape, Zeekoeivlei Jun-76 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Zeekoeivlei Jun-38 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Eastern Cape, Moordenaarshoek Dec-72 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Free State, Harrismith Sep-72 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis KwaZulu-Natal Dec-73 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Free State, Rosendal Feb-74 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Touw River Aug-74 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Phillipi 1982 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis KwaZulu-Natal, Sudwana Bay Jan-85 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Free State, Florisbad Oct-87 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Free State, Koffiefontein Sep-91 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Free State, Sannaspos Sep-91 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis KwaZulu-Natal, Mooi River Dec-95 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Free State, Kommissiepoort Nov-96 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Northern Cape Sep-96 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Northern Cape, Windsorton Road Nov-98 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Stellenbosch Sep-01 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Klapmuts Sep-01 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Strand Feb-02 Weldon 2005
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Wellington Feb-02 Weldon 2005
Xenopus laevis Western Cape, Botrivier Feb-02 Weldon 2005
Xenopus laevis Northern Cape, Kammieskroon Aug-04 Weldon 2005

SWAZILAND
Host species Locality Date Reference
Pipidae
Xenopus meulleri Swaziland Feb-91 Weldon et al. 2004
Xenopus meulleri Swaziland Feb-98 Weldon et al. 2004

TANZANIA
Host species Locality Date Reference
Bufonidae
Nectophrynoides asperginis Kihansi Gorge July-03 Weldon & Du Preez 2004
Ranidae
Arthroleptidis yakusisni Udagaji Gorge Nov-03 Weldon & Du Preez 2004
Ptychadena anchietae Kihansi Gorge Nov-03 Weldon & Du Preez 2004

[JSG]

Terry,
Awesome! Great! Thanks. In other words no Dendrobates or Waxy Monkey Frogs are carriers. I'm sure this info will be very useful! Thanks again!

[clownonfire]

Actually, one of the great breeders in the hobby (FrogFarm's Aaron) is closing his doors as chytrid is getting closer to his house, and keeping it away from his frogs seems like a monumental effort from where he lives right now. Here's the thread on DB: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/gen...ng-spring.html

Eric

[JSG]

Thanks Eric, yip, it is terrible to think that this fungus is closing down a man's bread and butter!

[Logqan]

Chytrid is indeed a scary issue and poor husbandry can lead to some very bad situations. When I do fieldwork I am purposely putting myself into the arms of chytrid and sites where it is very prevalent. I have to make sure I scrub myself clean and my gear as well to make sure I don't hurt my poor amphibians at home. Also about the issue of heat intolerance in chytrid, it is nice that it is easy killed this way sadly many of our beloved amphibians also can't take the heat. STL zoo had their hellbender collection get some infection and through slowly raising all the tank temps over a series of days they were able to kill the chytrid while allowing the hellbenders to slowly adapt to the change. Once the temps came back down the chytrid was gone and the hellbenders were fine. Also on a field note we see a lower rate to almost a no cases of infection in those amphibians who don't become active until warmer temps. Mostly hylids here. This isn't something that is a 100% fact but the evidence seems to be leaning that way.