ABSTRACT: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been detected in wild hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis populations, with rare instances of chytridiomycosis and Bd-induced mortality. To date, Bd surveillance in hellbender populations has been disproportionately focused on adult age classes. A lingering question is whether Bd might contribute to hellbender declines through disproportionate negative effects on immature age classes. The objective of this study was to quantify Bd prevalence and load in immature hellbenders in western North Carolina, USA. We conducted field surveys during 2018 and 2019 and collected 88 skin swabs from 84 hellbenders spanning 3 age classes. Bd was detected on 11% of individuals, including 8 larvae and 1 juvenile. We did not detect symptoms of chytridiomycosis or a decline in body condition in Bd-positive hellbenders. Load varied from approximately 1-153 zoospore equivalents for the 9 Bd-positive hellbenders and was not associated with size class of the individual. While hellbenders appeared to be abundant in each survey reach, more work is needed to determine whether Bd may increase the vulnerability of immature hellbenders to anthropogenic stressors.

中文翻译：

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在美国北卡罗来纳州未成熟的东部地狱动物隐球菌aleganiensis中，Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis的患病率。

摘要：已经在野生地狱犬隐球菌aleganiensis种群中检测到了Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis（Bd），极少出现乳糜菌和Bd引起的死亡。迄今为止，对地狱人群的Bd监测已不成比例地集中于成年年龄段。一个挥之不去的问题是，Bd是否可能通过对未成熟年龄段的不成比例的负面影响而导致地狱战士的衰落。这项研究的目的是量化Bd美国北卡罗来纳州西部未成熟的地狱犬的患病率和负荷。我们在2018年和2019年进行了实地调查，并从84个跨越3个年龄段的地狱动物采集了88个皮肤拭子。在11％的个体中检测到Bd，包括8个幼虫和1个少年。我们未检测到Bd阳性hellbenders的壶菌病症状或身体状况下降。9 Bd阳性地狱犬的负荷在大约1-153游动孢子当量之间变化，与个体的体型无关。尽管在每个调查范围内地狱之徒似乎都很丰富，但还需要做更多的工作来确定Bd是否会增加未成熟地狱之徒对人为压力源的脆弱性。