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Pastorino P, Colussi S, Varello K, Meletiadis A, Alberti S, Di Blasio A, Tedde G, Begovoeva M, Peano A, Rossi L, Renzi M, Acutis PL, Barceló D, Prearo M. Interdisciplinary approach to solve unusual mortalities in the European common frog (Rana temporaria) in two high-mountain ponds affected by climate change. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 222:115411. [PMID: 36736753 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The global decline in amphibian populations is a major environmental issue. Chytridiomycosis, Ranaviruses and the red-leg syndrome have been identified in unusual mortality events. However, these infections do not account for all causes of declining amphibian populations. Moreover, several cases of amphibian mortality are difficult to solve without resorting to an interdisciplinary approach. Two cases of unusual mortality in Rana temporaria occurred at two high-mountain ponds (northwest Italy) in April and May 2021. Water and frog samples were analysed to understand the possible causes responsible for the unusual mortalities. Results of the main physicochemical (pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chemical and biochemical oxygen demand) and nutrient (ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorus) parameters revealed a good condition of the water quality, with the absence of the main cyanotoxins (microcystins/nodularins). However, unseasonably high spring water temperatures were recorded in both ponds (12.73 °C and 14.21 °C for Frog Pond and Selleries Pond, respectively). Frogs (n = 50; snout-vent length: 7.0-9.8 cm; body mass: 85-123 g) collected from Frog Pond mainly presented bumps on the ventral cavity and dermal ulceration associated with the isolation of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum. On the other hand, frogs (n = 5; snout-vent length: 8.0-9.1 cm; body mass: 87-92 g) from Selleries Pond presented petechiae and dermal ulcerations on the rear limbs associated with the isolation of Aeromonas salmonicida and A. sobria. In both mortality events, the interdisciplinary approach revealed an association between frog mortalities and the isolation of bacteria. Isolated bacteria are considered opportunistic pathogens, and the high values of the water temperature has certainly led a stress on the frogs, favouring the spread of bacteria and the death of the frogs. Further studies are needed to assess the pathophysiological effects of the opportunistic bacteria here isolated, clarifying the interactions between emerging pathogens and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Pastorino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy.
| | - Silvia Colussi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy
| | - Katia Varello
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy
| | - Arianna Meletiadis
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy
| | - Silvia Alberti
- Ente di Gestione Delle Aree Protette Delle Alpi Cozie, Via Fransuà Fontan 1,10050, Salbertrand, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessia Di Blasio
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale TO3, ASL-TO3, Via Poirino 9, 10064, Pinerolo, Torino, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tedde
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale TO3, ASL-TO3, Via Poirino 9, 10064, Pinerolo, Torino, Italy
| | - Mattia Begovoeva
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy; European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale Delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153, Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Peano
- Dipartimento di Science Veterinarie, Università Degli Studi di Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Luca Rossi
- Dipartimento di Science Veterinarie, Università Degli Studi di Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Monia Renzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Vita, Università Degli Studi di Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Acutis
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy
| | - Damià Barceló
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034, Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Marino Prearo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy
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