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Killer Fungus Discovered in Philippine Frogs

A team of Filipino and American scientists conducted surveys on the presence of the chytrid fungus in the Philippines. The ongoing study is part of a larger, collaborative research program on Philippine biodiversity between scientists from the Philippines and the US. The chytrid fungus study is being led by scientists from the University of Santo Tomas
(through Prof. Mae Diesmos), University of Kansas (through Dr. Rafe Brown), and the National Museum of the Philippines (through Dr. Arvin Diesmos) in partnership with the San Francisco State University, Silliman University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management, and the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. Field surveys were undertaken in forested areas (mountains, natural parks, watershed areas) and human-controlled environments (rice fields, crop plantations, built-up areas, and even gardens) in a total of 20 different places on the islands of Luzon, Lubang, Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Dinagat, and Mindanao. Frogs found from those areas were screened for the chytrid fungus.

Chytrid fungi are primarily found in soil and water but are present almost everywhere. Only one of the 500 or so species of chytrid has been found to parasitize vertebrates, specifically frogs. The scientific name of this fungus is Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Studies have shown that Bd causes a pathogenic skin disease in amphibians called cutaneous chytridiomycosis. This disease has been linked to mass mortalities of frogs in many countries in North, Central, and South America and in Australia. Scientists have also found that chytridiomycosis, interacting with other environmental factors, may have triggered the recorded massive decline of many frog populations in those countries, and worse, have caused the extinction of several species.

Initial results show the presence of chytrid fungus in five species of frogs from two localities in Luzon: Mt. Palaypalay (in Cavite Province) and Mt. Labo (in Camarines Norte Province). These were Limnonectes macrocephalus, Limnonectes woodworthi, Rana similis, Rana luzonensis, and Occidozyga laevis. Species of Limnonectes are commonly called “fanged frogs”; both the species of Rana are “stream frogs”, and Occidozyga frogs are commonly known as “puddle frogs.” All these frogs are associated with aquatic environments and are especially found in mountain streams and fastflowing rivers.

Bd disrupts biological processes in the skin of diseased frogs. Researchers also suspect that Bd produces toxins during the infection stage. The pathogen load weakens the frog and eventually kills it. Field studies are sorely needed to document the extent of chytrid infection in Philippine frogs and to monitor chytrid-positive frog populations.