Emerging fungal pathogens pose a greater threat to biodiversity than
any other parasitic group1,... more Emerging fungal pathogens pose a greater threat to biodiversity than
any other parasitic group1, causing declines ofmany taxa, including
bats, corals, bees, snakes and amphibians1–4. Currently, there is little
evidence that wild animals can acquire resistance to these pathogens5.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogenic fungus implicated in
the recent global decline of amphibians6.Herewedemonstratethat three
species of amphibians can acquire behavioural or immunological resistance
toB. dendrobatidis. Frogs learned to avoid the fungus after just
one B. dendrobatidis exposure and temperature-induced clearance.
In subsequent experiments in whichB. dendrobatidis avoidance was
prevented, thenumber of previous exposureswas anegative predictor
ofB. dendrobatidis burden on frogs andB. dendrobatidis-inducedmortality,
and was a positive predictor of lymphocyte abundance and proliferation.
These results suggest that amphibians can acquireimmunity toB.
dendrobatidis that overcomes pathogen-induced immunosuppression7–9
and increases their survival. Importantly, exposure to dead fungus induced
a similarmagnitude of acquired resistance as exposure to live fungus.
Exposure of frogs toB. dendrobatidis antigens might offer a practical
way to protect pathogen-naive amphibians and facilitate the reintroduction
of amphibians to locations in the wild whereB. dendrobatidis
persists.Moreover, given the conserved nature of vertebrate immune
responses to fungi5 and the fact thatmanyanimals are capable of learning
to avoid natural enemies10, these results offer hope that other wild
animal taxa threatened by invasive fungi might be rescued by management
approaches based on herd immunity.
Emerging fungal pathogens pose a greater threat to biodiversity than
any other parasitic group1,... more Emerging fungal pathogens pose a greater threat to biodiversity than
any other parasitic group1, causing declines ofmany taxa, including
bats, corals, bees, snakes and amphibians1–4. Currently, there is little
evidence that wild animals can acquire resistance to these pathogens5.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogenic fungus implicated in
the recent global decline of amphibians6.Herewedemonstratethat three
species of amphibians can acquire behavioural or immunological resistance
toB. dendrobatidis. Frogs learned to avoid the fungus after just
one B. dendrobatidis exposure and temperature-induced clearance.
In subsequent experiments in whichB. dendrobatidis avoidance was
prevented, thenumber of previous exposureswas anegative predictor
ofB. dendrobatidis burden on frogs andB. dendrobatidis-inducedmortality,
and was a positive predictor of lymphocyte abundance and proliferation.
These results suggest that amphibians can acquireimmunity toB.
dendrobatidis that overcomes pathogen-induced immunosuppression7–9
and increases their survival. Importantly, exposure to dead fungus induced
a similarmagnitude of acquired resistance as exposure to live fungus.
Exposure of frogs toB. dendrobatidis antigens might offer a practical
way to protect pathogen-naive amphibians and facilitate the reintroduction
of amphibians to locations in the wild whereB. dendrobatidis
persists.Moreover, given the conserved nature of vertebrate immune
responses to fungi5 and the fact thatmanyanimals are capable of learning
to avoid natural enemies10, these results offer hope that other wild
animal taxa threatened by invasive fungi might be rescued by management
approaches based on herd immunity.
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any other parasitic group1, causing declines ofmany taxa, including
bats, corals, bees, snakes and amphibians1–4. Currently, there is little
evidence that wild animals can acquire resistance to these pathogens5.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogenic fungus implicated in
the recent global decline of amphibians6.Herewedemonstratethat three
species of amphibians can acquire behavioural or immunological resistance
toB. dendrobatidis. Frogs learned to avoid the fungus after just
one B. dendrobatidis exposure and temperature-induced clearance.
In subsequent experiments in whichB. dendrobatidis avoidance was
prevented, thenumber of previous exposureswas anegative predictor
ofB. dendrobatidis burden on frogs andB. dendrobatidis-inducedmortality,
and was a positive predictor of lymphocyte abundance and proliferation.
These results suggest that amphibians can acquireimmunity toB.
dendrobatidis that overcomes pathogen-induced immunosuppression7–9
and increases their survival. Importantly, exposure to dead fungus induced
a similarmagnitude of acquired resistance as exposure to live fungus.
Exposure of frogs toB. dendrobatidis antigens might offer a practical
way to protect pathogen-naive amphibians and facilitate the reintroduction
of amphibians to locations in the wild whereB. dendrobatidis
persists.Moreover, given the conserved nature of vertebrate immune
responses to fungi5 and the fact thatmanyanimals are capable of learning
to avoid natural enemies10, these results offer hope that other wild
animal taxa threatened by invasive fungi might be rescued by management
approaches based on herd immunity.
any other parasitic group1, causing declines ofmany taxa, including
bats, corals, bees, snakes and amphibians1–4. Currently, there is little
evidence that wild animals can acquire resistance to these pathogens5.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogenic fungus implicated in
the recent global decline of amphibians6.Herewedemonstratethat three
species of amphibians can acquire behavioural or immunological resistance
toB. dendrobatidis. Frogs learned to avoid the fungus after just
one B. dendrobatidis exposure and temperature-induced clearance.
In subsequent experiments in whichB. dendrobatidis avoidance was
prevented, thenumber of previous exposureswas anegative predictor
ofB. dendrobatidis burden on frogs andB. dendrobatidis-inducedmortality,
and was a positive predictor of lymphocyte abundance and proliferation.
These results suggest that amphibians can acquireimmunity toB.
dendrobatidis that overcomes pathogen-induced immunosuppression7–9
and increases their survival. Importantly, exposure to dead fungus induced
a similarmagnitude of acquired resistance as exposure to live fungus.
Exposure of frogs toB. dendrobatidis antigens might offer a practical
way to protect pathogen-naive amphibians and facilitate the reintroduction
of amphibians to locations in the wild whereB. dendrobatidis
persists.Moreover, given the conserved nature of vertebrate immune
responses to fungi5 and the fact thatmanyanimals are capable of learning
to avoid natural enemies10, these results offer hope that other wild
animal taxa threatened by invasive fungi might be rescued by management
approaches based on herd immunity.