Presence of low virulence chytrid fungi could protect European amphibians from more deadly strains

Mark S. Greener, Elin Verbrugghe, Moira Kelly, Mark Blooi, Wouter Beukema, Stefano Canessa, Salvador Carranza, Siska Croubels, Niels De Troyer, Daniel Fernandez-Giberteau, Peter Goethals, Luc Lens, Zhimin Li, Gwij Stegen, Diederik Strubbe, Robby van Leeuwenberg, Sarah Van Praet, Mireia Vila-Escale, Muriel Vervaeke, Frank Pasmans and An Martel ()
Additional contact information
Mark S. Greener: Ghent University
Elin Verbrugghe: Ghent University
Moira Kelly: Ghent University
Mark Blooi: Ghent University
Wouter Beukema: Ghent University
Stefano Canessa: Ghent University
Salvador Carranza: Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF)
Siska Croubels: Ghent University
Niels De Troyer: Ghent University
Daniel Fernandez-Giberteau: Centre de Recerca i Educacio Ambiental de Calafell (GRENP - Ajuntament de Calafell)
Peter Goethals: Ghent University
Luc Lens: Ghent University
Zhimin Li: Ghent University
Gwij Stegen: Ghent University
Diederik Strubbe: Ghent University
Robby van Leeuwenberg: Ghent University
Sarah Van Praet: Ghent University
Mireia Vila-Escale: Diputació de Barcelona
Muriel Vervaeke: Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos
Frank Pasmans: Ghent University
An Martel: Ghent University

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Wildlife diseases are contributing to the current Earth’s sixth mass extinction; one disease, chytridiomycosis, has caused mass amphibian die-offs. While global spread of a hypervirulent lineage of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (BdGPL) causes unprecedented loss of vertebrate diversity by decimating amphibian populations, its impact on amphibian communities is highly variable across regions. Here, we combine field data with in vitro and in vivo trials that demonstrate the presence of a markedly diverse variety of low virulence isolates of BdGPL in northern European amphibian communities. Pre-exposure to some of these low virulence isolates protects against disease following subsequent exposure to highly virulent BdGPL in midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) and alters infection dynamics of its sister species B. salamandrivorans in newts (Triturus marmoratus), but not in salamanders (Salamandra salamandra). The key role of pathogen virulence in the complex host-pathogen-environment interaction supports efforts to limit pathogen pollution in a globalized world.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-19241-7

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19241-7

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