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J Parasit Dis Diagn Ther 2017 | Volume 2 Issue 4
International Conference on
Zoology, Microbiology & Medical Parasitology
October 30-November 01, 2017 | Chicago, USA
Chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Sardinia (Italy): The discovery,
epidemiological study and current assessment of the role of the pathology in endemic amphibians
communities decline
Stefano Bovero
Sardinia Wildlife Conservation NGO Sassari, Italy
I
n august 2005 our team detected infection with Bd in
southern Sardinia on some adult specimen of sardinian
newt
Euproctus platycephalus
, an endemic and threatened
pecies. With Zoological Society of London partnering
we started to map infection range all over Sardinia and
describe how infection interacts with other native species.
Bd infection can then be confirmed in two ways: first, by
histology (sectioning skin and looking for the presence
of chytrid zoosporangia within the skin) and second, by
swabbing amphibians thought to be infected and testing
for the presence of chytrid DNA using real- time PCR, that
also allows an estimate of infection load. At the now we can
report that Bd sensivity varies significantly across the species
and the species range; Bd afflicts three endemic species
Sardinian newt
Euproctus platycephalus
, Sardinian painted
frog Discoglossus sardus and Sardinian tree frog Hyla sarda
and that infection hot spot is located in Limbara Mountain
Complex in the North of the island. Our analysis in the same
area confirmed that some mass die off of Sardinian painted
frog were due to chytridiomycosis. In order to better know
the pathogen dynamics in Euproctus platycephalus, our flag
species, we have developed the approaches to investigate
age structure and the sensivity at different years. Last, we
have developed the molecular tools to investigate gene flow
and movement patterns and have shown that source/sink
dynamics vary strongly across the species range and we are
currently mapping the expansion of some alien species in
northern Sardinia, such as green frogs Pelophylax sp. and red
swamp crayfish Procambarus clarki that are both known as
chytrid vectors and represent a serious thread for endemic
amphibians communities also for direct predation and
habitat resources competition.
Speaker Biography
Stefano Bovero is a independent researcher at Zirichiltaggi Sardinia Wildlife
Conservation NGO and his expertise include aspects of the natural history and
conservation of amphibians and freshwater fish in alpine and in mediterranean
areas. Since 1994 he devotes a particular attention to the endangered Sardinian
newt Euproctus platycephalus. Together with his team he analyzed the distribution
and the ecology of this species with attentions for the conservations aspects and
the identification of possible cause of populations decline. Starting to 2007 he also
focused the attention on the serious problem of chytridiomycosis afflicting endemic
amphibians species in Sardinia and his group is currently involved in a long research
program in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London.
e:
stefano.bovero@tin.it