Today we are featuring a fungal parasite of frogs. This parasite is former known as Dermocystidium ranae and was classified within a genus which also included a number of fungal parasites of fishes. However, further research on D. ranae found that it has a number of life-cycle and morphological features which separate this parasite from others within the Dermocystidium genus. Because of those distinguishing characteristics, it has now been reclassified and placed in a genus of its own - Amphibiocystidium - to reflect its unique status. While the parasite in the fish-infecting sister genus, Dermocystidium, has recieved much scientific interest over the last 50 or so years, far less research has been conducted on Amphibiocystidium ranae and it is not clear if it cause any actual harm to its amphibian host or if it is more of a benign parasite.Reference:
Pascolini, R., Daszak, P., Cunningham, A.A., Tei, S., Vagnetti, D., Bucci, S., Fagotti, A. and Di Rosa, I. (2003) Parasitism by Dermocystidium ranae in a population of Rana esculenta complex in Central Italy and descriptiion of Amphibiocystidium n. gen. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 56: 65-74
Contributed by Tommy Leung.
Could this become infective rhru mammal transfer. Ex: My dog found a frog and brought to me. I removed it from his mourh,called him an idiot,,then sensing i was mad...he licked my arm. I then said i was going to call the dog pound, but actually,j just went in to wash the dog spit off my arm. Could i have contracted this frog diease from lil einstien,the weiner dog. Dont say it is unlikely, just tell me if it is possible. Why? Because have been battling a skin infection that resembles t cell lymphoma for 4 years now,withno definitive cause or diagnosis,and i am growing and dismayed. No doc so far has sent me to recieve gene or dna seq., and its really wearing on me as wellas,scarring face. Contact me J7uia,@ biondojj@gmail.com if you suggest where i might go to have serum gene or dna testing to find what is causing me to
ReplyDeleteNo, this parasite is unable to infect humans - it is a parasite that specifically infects only amphibians.
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