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Widespread Occurrence of Ranavirus in Pond-Breeding Amphibian Populations

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Abstract

Ranaviruses are an emerging threat for many amphibian populations, yet their distribution in amphibian communities and the association of infection with possible stressors and species is not fully understood due to historically sparse surveillance. Agricultural practices that reduce the water quality of amphibian breeding habitats (e.g., cattle access to wetlands) and environmental stressors (e.g., lower temperatures) may contribute to ranavirus emergence. We tested larval amphibians for ranavirus infection across four seasons in farm ponds (n = 40) located in Tennessee, USA. Cattle at various densities were allowed access to half of the sampled ponds. Ranavirus infections were detected in nine species and in 33 of the sampled ponds (83%), illustrating widespread occurrence of the pathogen. Species within the family Ranidae were the most frequently infected. In 13 of the ponds containing infected individuals, prevalence exceeded 40% during at least one season. Infections were detected in multiple seasons in 20 of the sampled ponds containing infections, suggesting that ranaviruses are relatively persistent in these systems. Cattle had negative effects on water quality (turbidity and ammonia) and there was a positive association between cattle abundance and ranavirus prevalence in the summer. Counter to previous field studies in North America, we found a significant positive association between water temperature and ranavirus prevalence in the fall sampling events. Despite these findings, the influences of cattle and temperature on ranavirus prevalence were not consistent across seasons. As such, the mechanisms driving high ranavirus prevalence across the landscape and over time remain unclear. Given the widespread occurrence of ranaviruses in wild amphibians, we encourage the implementation of surveillance programs to help identify potential drivers of emergence. Sites with high ranavirus prevalence should be monitored annually for outbreaks, and the long-term effects on population size determined.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture for funding this study. The University of Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory in Tifton, Georgia, performed all the molecular procedures associated with ranavirus testing. The authors especially thank L. Whittington and N. Hilzinger for their help. Animal euthanasia procedures followed an approved University of Tennessee IACUC protocol (#1755). Collection of animals was approved by the TWRA (Scientific Collection Permit #1990).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    Jason T. Hoverman

  2. Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

    Jason T. Hoverman, Matthew J. Gray, Debra L. Miller & Nathan A. Haislip

  3. Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton, USA

    Debra L. Miller

  4. Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

    Debra L. Miller

  5. Department of Ectotherms, Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, TX, USA

    Nathan A. Haislip

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  1. Jason T. Hoverman
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  4. Nathan A. Haislip
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Correspondence to Jason T. Hoverman.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 4 and 5.

Table 4 Site information for the 40 ponds sampled in 2008 and 2009 in the CP and TRRV regions, Tennessee, USA
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Table 5 Ranavirus infection results for ponds that were sampled in eastern Tennessee, USA
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Hoverman, J.T., Gray, M.J., Miller, D.L. et al. Widespread Occurrence of Ranavirus in Pond-Breeding Amphibian Populations. EcoHealth 9, 36–48 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-011-0731-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-011-0731-9

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