title: Survey for the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in southwestern North Carolina salamander populations.
abstract: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a fungal pathogen responsible for a potentially fatal disease of amphibians. We conducted a survey for B. dendrobatidis in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern North Carolina, USA, from 10 June to 23 July 23 2009. Ventral skin swabs were collected from plethodontid salamanders (n=278) and real-time PCR was performed to test for the presence of B. dendrobatidis. We found no evidence of B. dendrobatidis, suggesting that B. dendrobatidis is absent or present in such low levels that it was undetected. If B. dendrobatidis was present at the time of our sampling, this survey supports evidence of low prevalence of B. dendrobatidis in North American headwater stream salamander populations.
authors: Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 W State St., West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. skeitzer@purdue.edu
authors: S Conor
authors: SC
authors: Keitzer
authors: Reuben
authors: R
authors: Goforth
authors: Allan P
authors: AP
authors: Pessier
authors: April J
authors: AJ
authors: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D008411:Chytridiomycota / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance / Q000662:veterinary; D014562:Caudata / Q000382:microbiology*