Dr. Goodman and Yonathan Ararso ’13 publish note on pathogen in local frogs

Th recent volume of Herpetological Review featured results of surveillance for two wildlife diseases, ranavirus and the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, conducted by Dr. Rachel Goodman and HSC student Yonathan Tarekegne Ararso ’13.  This study found the fungus, which has been implicated in global amphibian declines, in low prevalence among frogs from campus ponds and a nearby Wildlife Management Area.  However, no frogs showed any symptoms of disease.  The survey failed to detect ranavirus in area frogs, despite the presence of this pathogen in a co-occurring turtles species.