Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) not detected in an intensive survey of wild North American amphibians.

ABSTRACT: The salamander chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans [Bsal]) is causing massive mortality of salamanders in Europe. The potential for spread via international trade into North America and the high diversity of salamanders has catalyzed concern about Bsal in the U.S. Surveillance programs for invading pathogens must initially meet challenges that include low rates of occurrence on the landscape, low prevalence at a site, and imperfect detection of the diagnostic tests. We implemented a large-scale survey to determine if Bsal was present in North America designed to target taxa and localities where Bsal was determined highest risk to be present based on species susceptibility and geography. Our analysis included a Bayesian model to estimate the probability of occurrence of Bsal g

SUBMITTER: Waddle JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7400573 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature