RESUMEN
Declining of amphibian populations is a worldwide phenomenon. A cutaneous mycosis as a cause of death in free-living amphibians as well as in captive ones due to an chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) was reported at first in 1998. This infections were reported hitherto from Australia, North, Central and South America. This is the first report on chytrid infections in captive anurans from Europe. Dendrobates auratus and D. pumilo imported from Costa Rica and P. vittatus imported from French Guayana died with chytridiomycosis within a week after arrival in Europe. Batrachocytrium was also found on captive bred frogs in Germany and Belgium. Clinical signs, diagnosis and conclusions for protecting free-living amphibian populations and captive frogs are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Anuros , Quitridiomicetos , Dermatomicosis/veterinaria , Animales , Costa Rica , Muerte , Dermatomicosis/patología , Europa (Continente) , Guyana Francesa , AlemaniaRESUMEN
Epidermal changes caused by a chytridiomycete fungus (Chytridiomycota; Chytridiales) were found in sick and dead adult anurans collected from montane rain forests in Queensland (Australia) and Panama during mass mortality events associated with significant population declines. We also have found this new disease associated with morbidity and mortality in wild and captive anurans from additional locations in Australia and Central America. This is the first report of parasitism of a vertebrate by a member of the phylum Chytridiomycota. Experimental data support the conclusion that cutaneous chytridiomycosis is a fatal disease of anurans, and we hypothesize that it is the proximate cause of these recent amphibian declines.
Asunto(s)
Anuros , Micosis/patología , Dinámica Poblacional , Enfermedades de la Piel/patología , Animales , Australia , América Central , ADN Ribosómico/genética , Hongos/clasificación , Hongos/genética , Microscopía Electrónica de Rastreo , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Filogenia , Piel/ultraestructura , Árboles , Clima TropicalRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine the nature of excess injury mortality among Native Americans in New Mexico. DESIGN: Retrospective review of death certificates for deaths from unintentional injuries. SETTING: The state of New Mexico. SUBJECTS: New Mexico residents who died of unintentional injuries between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1989. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Cause-specific mortality rates. RESULTS: Over half of the excess mortality from all unintentional injuries among Native Americans resulted from hypothermia and from pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes. New Mexico Native Americans were nearly eight times more likely to die in pedestrian--motor vehicle crashes and were 30 times more likely to die of hypothermia compared with other New Mexico residents. At death, 90% of those Native Americans tested were highly intoxicated (median blood alcohol concentrations of 0.24 and 0.18 g/dL [corrected] for pedestrian and hypothermia deaths, respectively). Despite the fact that most Native Americans in New Mexico live on reservations, most deaths occurred at off-reservation sites in border towns and on roads leading back to the reservation. CONCLUSIONS: The possession and sale of alcohol is illegal on many Native American reservations. This policy forces Native Americans who want to drink to travel long distances to obtain alcohol. These data suggest that this policy is also the likely explanation for the markedly increased risk of death from hypothermia and pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes in this population.