Mycoses of amphibians
Ankita Kumari, Karuna Singh#
Animal Mycology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Abstract
Fungal diseases have emerged as one of the most significant infectious threats contributing to the ongoing global decline of amphibian populations, acting synergistically with habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and other anthropogenic stressors. This review provides an overview on mycosis reported in amphibia, including members of Anura, Caudata, and Gymnophiona. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans are the causative agents of chytridiomycosis, a disease that has panzootic transmission and has been implicated in unprecedented population declines and species extinctions across multiple continents. Though less common, amphibians are susceptible to a broad range of fungal pathogens, including mucormycosis caused predominantly by the amphibian-specific pathogen Mucor amphibiorum; fusariosis, phaeohyphomycosis, and chromomycosis caused by melanized fungi such as Exophiala species; cryptococcosis, dermatophytosis, basidiobolomycosis, and rare cutaneous infections caused by basidiomycetes. Apart from these infections, the skin mycobiota of amphibians become pathogenic under stressful conditions as well. Saprolegnia, an oomycete, has also been found to pose a serious threat to amphibian populations. The present paper further discusses the current advances in diagnosis, treatment, biosecurity, and disease management. A comprehensive understanding of the expanding spectrum of amphibian mycoses is essential for strengthening conservation strategies, improving captive breeding and rehabilitation programs, and enhancing One Health surveillance, particularly in view of the zoonotic potential of several fungal pathogens.
#Correspondence:
karunasingh5@gmail.com
Article info:
Received 28 January 2026
Revised 18 July 2026
Accepted 26 July 2026
Appeared online 29 July 2026
One Health Mycology 3(2): 129-139, 2026 doi.org/10.63049/OHM.26.32.2
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Cite this article:
Kumari A, Singh K 2026. Mycoses of amphibians. One Health Mycology 3(2), 129-139
Keywords:
amphibia; ectotherm; mycoses; skin mycobiota; control; treatment; conservation
Article highlights:
- Fungal disease is a leading driver of the ongoing global amphibian extinction crisis.
- Chytridiomycosis (Bd, Bsal) remains the most consequential amphibian mycosis worldwide.
- Amphibians host a diverse spectrum of other mycoses, including mucormycosis, fusariosis, and infections by melanized fungi.
- Mucor amphibiorum causes a distinctive, often systemic mucormycosis in Australian amphibians, distinct from mammalian mucormycosis.
- Environmental management, biosecurity, and early molecular detection remain central to control and conservation efforts.