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Genetic evidence of Ranavirus in toe clips: an alternative to lethal sampling methods

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Abstract

Amphibian populations have been undergoing declines on a global scale. Among the many threats to these populations are emergent infectious diseases (EIDs). The Ranavirus in particular has been found within many declining amphibian populations. Although non-lethal sampling methods exist for some amphibian groups, such as salamanders, the anurans are traditionally tested using a lethal method. By comparing traditional liver samples and a new non-lethal method of toe clipping we prove that the Ranavirus can also be determined in frogs using a non-lethal method, a much needed tool in threatened populations. This method will allow for ranaviral detection without further impacting declining populations, and can further be used for other research questions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by Laurentian University Research Fund. We would like to thank M. Berrill for helpful comments on the manuscript as well as A. Schulte-Hostedde for the use of his molecular equipment.

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  1. Biology Department, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada, P3E 2C6

    V. St-Amour & D. Lesbarrères

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  1. V. St-Amour
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  2. D. Lesbarrères
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Correspondence to D. Lesbarrères.

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St-Amour, V., Lesbarrères, D. Genetic evidence of Ranavirus in toe clips: an alternative to lethal sampling methods. Conserv Genet 8, 1247–1250 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-006-9242-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-006-9242-6

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