Diseases of Amphibians

The development and refinement of amphibian medicine comprise an ongoing science that reflects the unique life history of these animals and our growing knowledge of amphibian diseases. Amphibians are notoriously fastidious in terms of captive care requirements, and the majority of diseases of amphib...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ILAR journal 2007, Vol.48 (3), p.235-254
Main Authors: Densmore, Christine L., Green, David Earl
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amphibians
Animal Husbandry
Animals
Bacterial Infections - pathology
Bacterial Infections - veterinary
Hazardous Substances - adverse effects
Mycoses - pathology
Mycoses - veterinary
Neoplasms - pathology
Neoplasms - veterinary
Nutrition Disorders - pathology
Nutrition Disorders - veterinary
Parasitic Diseases, Animal - pathology
Virus Diseases - pathology
Virus Diseases - veterinary
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Summary:The development and refinement of amphibian medicine comprise an ongoing science that reflects the unique life history of these animals and our growing knowledge of amphibian diseases. Amphibians are notoriously fastidious in terms of captive care requirements, and the majority of diseases of amphibians maintained in captivity will relate directly or indirectly to husbandry and management. Investigators have described many infectious and noninfectious diseases that occur among various species of captive and wild amphibians, and there is considerable overlap in the diseases of captive versus free-ranging populations. In this article, some of the more commonly reported infectious and noninfectious diseases as well as their etiological agents and causative factors are reviewed. Some of the more common amphibian diseases with bacterial etiologies include bacterial dermatosepticemia or "red leg syndrome," flavobacteriosis, mycobacteriosis, and chlamydiosis. The most common viral diseases of amphibians are caused by the ranaviruses, which have an impact on many species of anurans and caudates. Mycotic and mycotic-like organisms cause a number of diseases among amphibians, including chytridiomycosis, zygomycoses, chromomycoses, saprolegniasis, and ichthyophoniasis. Protozoan parasites of amphibians include a variety of amoeba, ciliates, flagellates, and sporozoans Common metazoan parasites include various myxozoans, helminths (particularly trematodes and nematodes), and arthropods. Commonly encountered non-infectious disease etiologies for amphibians include neoplasia, absolute or specific nutritional deficiencies or overloads, chemical toxicities, and inadequate husbandry or environmental management.
ISSN:1084-2020
1930-6180
DOI:10.1093/ilar.48.3.235