FROGLOG - Amphibian Specialist Group

International Conference on BDContinued from previous pageibed the question of sexual reproductionand the formationof resistant spores remains unanswered.It has also been shown that Bdcan persist in the environmenteven in the absence of amphibianhosts but what the alternatedisease reservoirs are or how longit can persist in the absence ofan amphibian host remains tobe clarified. This is particularlytroublesome for efforts to reintroduceamphibian populationsto areas where they have beenextirpated.A major knowledge gap is inunderstanding how Bd causesmortality and the function ofinnate and induced immune responsesin conferring resistance.Normal skin bacteria and antimicrobialskin peptides haveboth been suggested as potentialresistance factors. Temperatureand humidity have been correlatedwith the ability of an animalto shed Bd infections. Dr. R.Poulter discussed the promise ofchoramphenicol as a treatmentfor chytridiomycosis in captivitybut further research needs to becompleted before it is widely useddue to potential risks to humanhealth and the environment. Dr.Poulter also raised the hopes ofthe audience by hinting at another,more benign compound thatis currently being tested. Currenttreatments including itraconazole,benzalkonium, malachitegreen, povidone-iodine havebeen associated with side-effectsand treatment failures in somecases.The second day of the conferencefocused on managementstrategies from the internationalto the regional efforts. At the internationallevel, the Aquatic AnimalCommission of the WorldOrganization of Animal Health(OIE) is considering a proposalto make chytridiomycosis aninternationally notifiable diseasewhich would then requiremember countries to better understandthe distribution of Bd.At the national level the ThreatAbatement Plan developed bythe Australians remains the mostcomprehensive Bd managementstrategy. Identified managementneeds included standardized sanitationand quarantine protocolsfor captive and field amphibianwork, internationally standardizedsurveillance protocols andcentral reporting facilities fordisease outbreaks and amphibiandie-offs, response strategies fordisease outbreaks and assessmentof regulatory tools that could beused to stem the spread of Bd.The afternoon focused on casestudies discussing the impact ofBd on recovery and reintroductionefforts for endangered populations.The last day of the conferenceconsisted of a series of facilitatedgroup discussions focused onmaking plans and taking actionon a number of priority issues.The topics covered included determiningthe scientific prioritiesfor meeting Bd managementinformation needs, developingconservation plans for infectedpopulations, identifying and initiatingplans to stop the spreadof Bd and formulating early responsestrategies.A number of products are expectedto result from the conference.Many of the presentationsand discussions will be summarizedand published in a specialissue of Diseases in Aquatic Organismsin 2008. The meetingprogram and updated abstractswill be posted on the PARCwebsite: http://www.parcplace.org/Bd_conference.html. Otherexpected outputs include “Tool-Kit” documents such as hygieneand quarantine protocols, directoryof Bd testing laboratories,standard surveillance protocols,Bd fact-sheets for various audiences,an outreach campaigntargeting the pet industry tominimize their role in the spreadof Bd and various conservationplans.Overall, the conference provideda venue for researchers andmanagers to come together todiscuss this emerging threat inamphibian conservation. Manypeople observed that the rapidprogress that had been made inBd research and managementwas due to the generous sharingof information and collaborationwithin the research community.The 2007 Amphibian Declines& Chytridiomycosis conferenceserved to consolidate these existingcollaborations and to forgemany new ones.Email: Purnima.Govindarajulu@gov.bc.ca9