Detection of emerging amphibian diseases on example of monitoring Mossy Vietnamese Frog (Theloderma corticale)

Tijekom posljednjih 70-ak godina populacije vodozemaca uvelike su se smanjile na globalnoj razini. Uz različite faktore koji su tome doprinijeli (klimatske promjene, zagađenje okoliša, uništavanje staništa), emergentne zarazne bolesti – ranaviroza i hitridiomikoza trenutno su najveća prijetnja. Počevši s epizootijama, i ugrožavajući lokalne populacije, već su prešle u panzootiju koja je neke vrste dovela do ruba izumiranja. Testirali smo 8 jedinki vijetnamskih mahovinastih žaba (Thelodema corticale) i vodu iz njihovih vivarija na prisutnost uzročnika ranaviroze i oba uzročnika hitridiomikoze: Ranavirus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis i Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. Od 8 životinja su uzeti obrisci kože, te su uzeta 2 uzorka vode iz 2 vivarija sterilnim štapićem. Uzorci su pretraženi qPCR-om i svi pretraženi uzorci bili su negativni. Nadzor ranaviroze i hitridiomikoze bitan je zbog očuvanja divljih, ali i uzgajanih populacija, a ponajviše autohtonih i ugroženih vrsta. Zbog toga u svih novih i uvezenih jedinki preporučeno je isključiti ove bolesti prije puštanja tj. priključivanja populaciji. U Republici Hrvatskoj istraživanja o prisutnosti i prevalenciji ovih bolesti, rijetka su, te bi ih u budućnosti trebalo provesti više kako bismo dobili uvid o stanju u hrvatskim populacijama vodozemaca i prema tome mogli razviti programe kontrole, nadzora i suzbijanja bolesti prije nego bude kasno.During the last 70 years amphibian populations have greatly decreased on a global scale. In addition to various factors that contributed to this (climate change, environmental pollution, habitat destruction), emerging infectious diseases - ranavirosis and chytridiomycosis are currently the biggest threat. Starting with epizootics, firstly endangering local populations, they have already turned into panzootics that have brought some species to the brink of extinction. We tested eight individuals of Vietnamese moss frogs (Thelodema corticale) and the water from their vivariums for the presence of the causative agent of ranavirus and both causative agents of chytridiomycosis: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. Skin swabs were taken from 8 animals and 2 water samples were taken from 2 vivariums with a sterile stick swabs. Samples were screened by qPCR and all tested samples were negative. Control of ranavirosis and chytridiomycosis is important for the preservation of wild and captive populations, especially native and endangered species. For this reason, it is recommended to rule out these diseases in all new and imported animals before joining the population. In the Republic of Croatia, research on the presence and prevalence of these diseases is rare and more of them should be conducted in the future in order to get a better understanding to the state of Croatian amphibian populations and, accordingly, develop programs for control, surveillance and suppression of the disease before it is too late