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Study sheds light on deadly frog fungus
African clawed frog
African clawed frogs were thought to be responsible for the spread of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. 

African clawed frog not responsible for spread of lethal infection

A fungus thought to be one of the major drivers of amphibian decline has not been caused by exposure to infected colonies of African clawed frogs, according to research by the Universities of Bristol and Portsmouth.

Amphibian species have been in steady decline for decades. A major cause is thought to be the rapid global spread of a lethal fungus infection Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).  One prominent theory is that African clawed frogs are responsible for the spread of the disease.

Exported from South Africa worldwide since the 1930s, African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) have been used in medical research, human pregnancy testing, and also kept as pets.  

It is thought that escaped or released toads infected with the fungus have been involved in spreading the infection to native species. However, this so-called 'out of Africa' theory was originally based on circumstantial evidence and has never been confirmed directly.

Researchers examined the occurrence of Bd in two areas of the UK -  Wales and Lincolnshire - where African clawed toads had been released and had established breeding colonies.

Extensive testing of the colonies revealed heavy infections of Bd. However, samples of the frogs, toads and newts gave no evidence of transfer of infection, nor declines in their populations that might have resulted from past disease.

Professor Richard Tinsley from the University of Bristol said the results certainly don't support the 'out-of-Africa' theory in the conditions found in the UK:

 “Our field studies provide a particularly robust test of the possibility of disease transfer: the population in Wales was established in the wild over half a century ago, so we would have expected any ill-effects to have become evident here.  But, there is still a need for similar comprehensive testing in countries elsewhere in the world where Xenopus has been introduced.

 “We still need to understand what prevented the spread of infection from Xenopus in our study areas – potentially including variations between strains of the fungus and natural resistance to these strains by native amphibians.  Knowledge of these factors controlling infection may help in regions where spread of the fungus is occurring rapidly.”

The study, ‘Chytrid fungus infections in laboratory and introduced Xenopus laevis populations: assessing the risks for U.K. native amphibians’ is published in Biological Conservation.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.