Killer frog disease ‘notifiable’
The disease that has haunted many frog species around the world has been declared ‘notifiable’ by the OIE, the world organization for animal health, following research conducted by James Cook University.
In Australia, chytridiomycosishas been responsible for the extinction of nine species, near extinction of five species and the dramatic decline in populations of seven species of frogs. Worldwide, it has caused extinctions and declines in 200 species of frogs in Central, South and North America, Africa, Spain and New Zealand.
The classification of Chytridiomycosis as ‘notifiable’ by the OIE means that the 172 countries that are members of the OIE are required to report on the status of this disease in their country every six months.
In 1996, James Cook University researcher Professor Rick Speare suggested that the decline in frog species and populations was due to a spreading disease. A year later one of his PhD students, Lee Berger discovered the disease chytridiomycosis, determining it was the spreading disease predicted by Professor Speare. JCU Research Fellow, Dr Lee Skerratt, recently confirmed that it is the spread of the disease that has caused its emergence.
“All of this research culminated in the OIE actioning control of this spread,” Dr Skerratt said.
“This listing confirms that the world agrees with the conclusions drawn from our research.”
Other bodies have also recognised the research done at JCU and have implemented action plans including the International Union for Conservation of Nature with the publication of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan. In Australia, “The Australian Threat Abatement Plan for Chytridiomycosis (Chytrid TAP), which was primarily written by Professor Speare, aims to control the spread of the disease through adopting hygiene and quarantine measures,” Dr Skerratt said.
The Australian Government has implemented the Chytrid TAP and many zoos participate in the Amphibian Ark Program which aims to prevent the extinction of frogs from chytridiomycosis through captive breeding programs. The research at JCU has been mainly supported by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Australian Research Council. Additional funding is needed for research on improving the management of the disease in critically endangered species of frogs.
Issued: Monday, June 16, 2008
For more information contact Dr Lee Skerratt on 4781 6065 or 4781 5959 or Dr Lee Berger on 4780 5119 or 0413 699 265 or Jo Meehan, JCU Media on 4781 4586 or 0437 028 175.
