RESEARCH ARTICLE Early 1900s Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Korean Amphibians

The pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a major conservation con-cern because of its role in decimating amphibian populations worldwide. We used quantita-tive PCR to screen 244 museum specimens from the Korean Peninsula, collected between 1911 and 2004, for the presence of Bd to gain insight into its history in Asia. Three speci-mens of Rugosa emeljanovi (previously Rana orGlandirana rugosa), collected in 1911 from Wonsan, North Korea, tested positive for Bd. Histology of these positive specimens re-vealed mild hyperkeratosis – a non-specific host response commonly found in Bd-infected frogs – but no Bd zoospores or zoosporangia. Our results indicate that Bd was present in Korea more than 100 years ago, consistent with hypotheses suggesting that Korean am-phibians may be infected by endemic Asian Bd strains