New shelter cure developed for endangered frogs facing deadly fungal disease

A simple and effective way to help endangered frogs survive the devastating fungal disease Chytridiomycosis – which has wiped out at least six amphibian species in Australia and threatens dozens more worldwide – has been developed by an international team of researchers.

Published today at Nature, a study by scientists from the University of Melbourne, Macquarie University, the University of Tasmania, the University of Arkansas and the University of Auckland has found that shelters heated by sunlight can cure the disease in frogs by suppressing the growth of the pathogen.

These shelters are designed to warm the frogs, raising their body temperature enough to quickly fight off and kill infections caused by Chytridiomycosis.

University of Melbourne Professor Lee Skerratt said, “For 25 years, Chytridiomycosis has been recognized as contributing to a global collapse of amphibian populations. Our findings offer a potential lifeline for rapidly declining populations such as the green and golden bell frog, which has been wiped out from more than 90 percent of its former range in Australia since the disease, which originated in Asia, arrived in 1978.

These shelters – about the size of a small sky, are cheap and easily reproduced, and are built from available materials, including bricks and PVC greenhouses.

Additionally, frogs that survive infection may develop a form of acquired immunity, making them more resistant to future infections. When re-exposed to the fungus, these 'pathogen-experienced' frogs had a much higher survival rate (86 percent) compared to frogs that had not been previously infected (22 percent).

Dr Anthony Waddle of Macquarie University, lead author of the study, said of the refuge “the whole thing is like a mini medical spa for frogs and the refuges will appeal to species such as the green and golden bell frog, which previously thrived along with people. , often occupying backyards and letter boxes. By making these 'hot spots' available to frogs in the winter, we empower them to cure their infections – or not get sick at all.”

Shelters are now operating at the site of one of the largest populations of green and golden bell frogs in Sydney's Olympic Park.

“We've shown it works, now we're putting it into one of the most vulnerable populations where we expect to see immediate impact.” said Dr. Waddle.

The success of the shelters suggests that similar treatments may be effective for other endangered species.

“This research has great potential to be extrapolated to other endangered frog species threatened by Chytridiomycosis, such as the Growling Grass frog, which is another native to Victoria. This research demonstrates the value of interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration in tackling this global problem,” Professor Skerratt said.

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