 Attention
Researchers:
A
variety of illnesses and injuries are seen in the frogs arriving at the
Cairns Frog Hospital and many of the former are still mysteries to us.
In some cases, we are simply waiting on pathology results but sometimes
the results aren't conclusive. This page is to present photographs and
descriptions of some of the more unusual conditions being seen here. If
you have seen any of these or have any information to offer about what
might be causing the specified condition/symptom, please contact
us.
Virus
associated with Metabolic Bone Disease symptoms
 We
received some batches of diseased tadpoles - all Litoria caerulea
- from one suburb around January 2003 which exhibited symptoms of bent
tails, washed out colour, sluggishness, and high mortality rates. Only
a half dozen of each batch lived long enough to metamorph and most of
those died one by one over the subsequent months. The last of the surviving
individuals died in October 2005.
Sequencing was used
by JCU in Townsville to confirm that a virus was indeed present but the
researcher could not identify it because of the lack of material in GeneBank.
Histopath was also done and large numbers of cestodes were present in
the intestines. Other comments were directed to the condition of the liver:
"abundant intrasinusoidal, mainly erythroid, haemopoiesis. Hepatic
veins also contain numerous erythroid precursor cells."
The symptoms present
in the juveniles are:
 scoliosis- twisted legs in
a repeating pattern involving a curvature just above the 'ankle' joint
- a weird two-tone
shade of bluey-green (normally emerald green in colour)
- compressed growth
from snout to vent (frog looks like it has been scrunched up from front
to back)
- growth at front
of body is normal and back of body is stunted, especially rear legs
The juveniles have
been given direct access to sunlight, reptile vitamins and calcium powder,
and high levels of B complex on their food but this has not made any difference
to their condition. If you have seen anything at all similar in frogs,
toads, or salamanders, please contact us.
Mystery
condition which appears fungal
Please see the page
on the new "respiratory/nervous system"
disease - we have received well over 6000 frogs since July 1st (2002)
that have very consistent symptoms of a contagious condition which appears
to be fungal in nature. However, tests are indicating that these frogs
do not have chytrid or Mucor amphibiorium. In fact, the histology
reveals nothing at all and can't even determine a cause of death. Also,
the condition most definitely has a respiratory component which M.
amphibiorium does not have. It appears clinically first in the breathing/lungs,
moves into the gastrointestinal tract and then goes subcutaneous, causing
skin irritation and increased secretions and eventually ulcerative dermatitis.
The frogs are responding beautifully to treatment with White spot remedy
(formaldehyde/malachite green) but we are unsure of what fungus we are
curing. The full symptoms are listed in the "nervous
system fungus" page.
If
you have any information at all to offer about any of these descriptions,
please comment even if it seems insignificant. Thanks for your time!
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