title: Amphibian pathogens in Southeast Asian frog trade.
abstract: Amphibian trade is known to facilitate the geographic spread of pathogens. Here we assess the health of amphibians traded in Southeast Asia for food or as pets, focusing on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), ranavirus and general clinical condition. Samples were collected from 2,389 individual animals at 51 sites in Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore for Bd screening, and 74 animals in Cambodia and Vietnam for ranavirus screening. Bd was found in one frog (n = 347) in Cambodia and 13 in Singapore (n = 419). No Bd was found in Lao PDR (n = 1,126) or Vietnam (n = 497), and no ranavirus was found in Cambodia (n = 70) or Vietnam (n = 4). Mild to severe dermatological lesions were observed in all East Asian bullfrogs Hoplobatrachus rugolosus (n = 497) sampled in farms in Vietnam. Histologic lesions consistent with sepsis were found within the lesions of three frogs and bacterial sepsis in two (n = 4); one had Gram-negative bacilli and one had acid-fast organisms consistent with mycobacterium sp. These results confirm that Bd is currently rare in amphibian trade in Southeast Asia. The presence of Mycobacterium-associated disease in farmed H. rugolosus is a cause for concern, as it may have public health implications and indicates the need for improved biosecurity in amphibian farming and trade.
authors: Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460, USA. mgilbert@wcs.org
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Gilbert
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Bickford
authors: Leanne
authors: L
authors: Clark
authors: Arlyne
authors: A
authors: Johnson
authors: Priscilla H
authors: PH
authors: Joyner
authors: Lucy
authors: L
authors: Ogg Keatts
authors: Kongsy
authors: K
authors: Khammavong
authors: Long
authors: L
authors: Nguyễn Văn
authors: Alisa
authors: A
authors: Newton
authors: Tiffany P W
authors: TP
authors: Seow
authors: Scott
authors: S
authors: Roberton
authors: Soubanh
authors: S
authors: Silithammavong
authors: Sinpakhone
authors: S
authors: Singhalath
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Yang
authors: Tracie A
authors: TA
authors: Seimon
mesh_terms: D000663:Amphibians / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000382:microbiology*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D008411:Chytridiomycota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003132:Commerce; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
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