Itraconazole and thiophanate-methyl fail to clear tadpoles naturally infected with the hypervirulent lineage of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

ABSTRACT: The emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is a major driver pushing many amphibian species to the brink of extinction. Substantial efforts to develop effective protocols that use antifungal drugs have had notable success. Here, we used the antifungal agents itraconazole and thiophanate-methyl, singly and in combination, in an attempt to treat common midwife toad Alytes obstetricans larvae naturally infected with the globalized hypervirulent lineage of B. dendrobatidis. Despite the successful use of itraconazole in a closely related species (A. muletensis), our results show that these antifungal treatments are not always effective and that full clearance of animals cannot be assumed following treatment.