Meléndez Eduardo Fernández, Fieschi-Méric Léa, Verbrugghe Elin, Blomme Ellen, Fahrbach Michael, Ortiz-Santaliestra Manuel E, Pasmans Frank, Martel An
Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Niedernhaller Str. 8/2, 74653 Criesbach, Germany.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jun 17;15(12):1777. doi: 10.3390/ani15121777.
Amphibians face a multitude of threats and therefore make a prime example of the current biodiversity crisis. Multiple amphibian stressors in anthropogenic landscapes include infectious diseases and agrochemicals. Synergic effects between these stressors may increase the negative impact of infections on amphibian health. In a 56-day trial, we assessed the impact of co-exposure to the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and the pathogenic fungus () on infection parameters (infection intensity and disease severity) and health (body condition and telomere length) in Italian crested newts (). Twenty days post-inoculation with , newts were either exposed to 2,4-D for 12 days or not exposed (control). Most newts developed high infection loads that steadily increased towards the end of the trial. While body condition was negatively correlated with pathogen burden, only one out of 23 animals died. Telomere length remained unaffected by the pesticide and the pathogen. The 2,4-D treatment did not exacerbate infection. Most newts survived almost two months with significant pathogen loads; thus, even in a pesticide-infested environment, could be an important long-term reservoir for co-occurring species on the Italian peninsula, a urodele diversity hotspot.
两栖动物面临着众多威胁，因此成为当前生物多样性危机的典型例子。人为景观中的多种两栖动物应激源包括传染病和农用化学品。这些应激源之间的协同效应可能会增加感染对两栖动物健康的负面影响。在一项为期56天的试验中，我们评估了同时接触除草剂2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸（2,4-D）和致病真菌（）对意大利有冠蝾螈（）的感染参数（感染强度和疾病严重程度）和健康状况（身体状况和端粒长度） 的影响。在用接种20天后，蝾螈要么接触2,4-D 12天，要么不接触（对照）。大多数蝾螈产生了高感染负荷，在试验接近尾声时稳步增加。虽然身体状况与病原体负担呈负相关，但23只动物中只有一只死亡。端粒长度不受农药和病原体的影响。2,4-D处理并没有加剧感染。大多数蝾螈在携带大量病原体的情况下存活了近两个月；因此，即使在农药污染的环境中，对于意大利半岛（有尾目多样性热点地区）上同时出现的物种来说，仍可能是一个重要的长期储存宿主。
