Discovery of Wild Amphibians Infected with Ranavirus in Brazil

Author(s)

Ruggeri, Joice ^[1] ; Ribeiro, Luisa P. ^{[2, 1]} ; Pontes, Mariana R. ^{[2, 1]} ; Toffolo, Carlos ^[3] ; Candido, Marcelo ^[4] ; Carriero, Mateus M. ^[5] ; Zanella, Noeli ^[3] ; Sousa, Ricardo L. M. ^[4] ; Toledo, Luis Felipe ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Lab Hist Nat Anfibios Brasileiros, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Programa Posgrad Ecol, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Passo Fundo, Inst Ciencias Biol, Programa Posgrad Ciencias Ambientais, BR-99052900 Passo Fundo, RS - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Zootecnia & Engn Alimentos, Dept Med Vet, Lab Higiene Zootecn, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Zootecnia & Engn Alimentos, Dept Med Vet, Lab Imunol Parasitas, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES; v. 55, n. 4, p. 897-902, OCT 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Ranavirus is a double-stranded DNA virus associated with amphibian, fish and reptile die-offs worldwide. International trade of live animals farmed for human consumption, such as the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), plays a key role in spreading the pathogen. In Brazil, ranavirus has only been reported in captive bullfrog farms. We found infected tadpoles of both native species and the American bullfrog in the wild, and a case of mass mortality of amphibians and fish potentially associated with ranavirus. Dead animals presented skin ulcerations, hemorrhages, and edemas. We also found an overall prevalence of 37% of the amphibian chytrid in the area, and two bullfrog tadpoles were co-infected with both pathogens. We suggest that the interaction between the two pathogens should be investigated to improve global conservation of ectothermic vertebrates. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/01917-6 - Interaction between the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and the Ranavirus in anuran assemblages from the Southern Atlantic forest
• Grantee: Joice Ruggeri Gomes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 12/08846-3 - Detection and characterization of viruses of the Iridoviridae family in fish and amphibians from Northeastern and Central-eastern regions of State of São Paulo
• Grantee: Ricardo Luiz Moro de Sousa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/25358-3 - The chytrid fungus: from its origins to its consequences
• Grantee: Luis Felipe de Toledo Ramos Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/01718-3 - Cellular and molecular aspects of the experimental ranavirosis in Nile tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus)
• Grantee: Marcelo Candido
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 16/03344-0 - Frog farms in the state of São Paulo and its relationship with amphibian chytrids and conservation
• Grantee: Luisa de Pontes Ribeiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master