Effectiveness of antifungal treatments during chytridiomycosis epizootics in populations of an endangered frog

The recently-emerged amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has had an unprecedented impact on global amphibian populations, and highlights the urgent need to develop effective mitigation strategies. We conducted in-situ antifungal treatment experiments in wild populations of the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog during or immediately after Bd-caused mass die-off events. The objective of treatments was to reduce Bd infection intensity (\"load\") and in doing so alter frog-Bd dynamics and increase the probability of frog population persistence despite ongoing Bd infection. Experiments included treatment of early life stages (tadpoles and subadults) with the antifungal drug itraconazole, treatment of adults with itraconazole, and augmentation of the skin microbiome of subadults with Janthinobacterium lividum, a commensal bacterium with antifungal properties. All itraconazole treatments caused immediate reductions in Bd load, and produced longer-term effects that d...近期暴发的两栖类壶菌——蛙壶菌（Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis，简称Bd），对全球两栖动物种群造成了前所未有的冲击，凸显了研发高效防控策略的迫切需求。我们在Bd引发大规模种群死亡事件期间或事件结束后即刻，针对濒危山黄腿蛙的野生种群开展了原位抗真菌治疗实验。本次治疗的核心目标为降低Bd感染负荷（载量），借此调整蛙类与Bd的互作动态，即便种群持续面临Bd感染压力，也能提升蛙种群的存续概率。实验设置了三类处理方案：其一为使用抗真菌药物伊曲康唑处理早期生活史阶段个体（蝌蚪与亚成体）；其二为用伊曲康唑处理成体个体；其三为利用具备抗真菌特性的共生细菌淡紫色杆菌（Janthinobacterium lividum）强化亚成体的皮肤微生物组。所有伊曲康唑处理组均能快速降低Bd感染负荷，并产生了持续时间更长的效应，其……