Host age alters amphibian susceptibility to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, an emerging infectious fungal pathogen.

ABSTRACT: Parasites and pathogens are often aggregated in a minority of susceptible hosts within a population, with a majority of individuals harboring low infection intensities. However, determining the relative importance of host traits to explain this heterogeneity is a challenge. One ecologically important pathogen is Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the disease chytridiomycosis and has been associated with many amphibian population declines worldwide. For many hosts, post-metamorphic stages are generally more susceptible than the larval stage. Yet, examination of the effects of Bd infection at different ages within a life stage, has received little attention. This study investigated the hypothesis that recently-post-metamorphic frogs were more sensitive to chytridiomycosis than

SUBMITTER: Bradley PW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6730893 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature