title: Pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis, a cause of catastrophic amphibian declines.
abstract: The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, is one of the few highly virulent fungi in vertebrates and has been implicated in worldwide amphibian declines. However, the mechanism by which Bd causes death has not been determined. We show that Bd infection is associated with pathophysiological changes that lead to mortality in green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea). In diseased individuals, electrolyte transport across the epidermis was inhibited by >50%, plasma sodium and potassium concentrations were respectively reduced by approximately 20% and approximately 50%, and asystolic cardiac arrest resulted in death. Because the skin is critical in maintaining amphibian homeostasis, disruption to cutaneous function may be the mechanism by which Bd produces morbidity and mortality across a wide range of phylogenetically distant amphibian taxa.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, Amphibian Disease Ecology Group, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia. jamie.voyles@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Voyles
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Wyatt F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Voyles
authors.forename: Anuwat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dinudom
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Ross A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Alford
authors.forename: Lee F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Skerratt
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Speare
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D008411:Chytridiomycota / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D006706:Homeostasis; D017136:Ion Transport; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D018118:Chloride Channels; D004573:Electrolytes; D015222:Sodium Channels; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium