Frog ‘Saunas’ Help Endangered Frogs Survive A Deadly Fungal Pandemic

Amphibian species around the world are threatened with extinction by the deadly fungal disease, chytridiomycosis. A simple, low-cost solution to provide warm conditions enabling frogs to clear the infection and remain disease free.

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Green and golden bell frogs (Litoria aurea) hanging out in a frog sauna, seeking relief from deadly chytrid fungal infections. These frogs are listed on the IUCN Red List following severe population declines. (Credit: Anthony Waddle)

Black bricks could be the long-sought relief to the global pandemic of chytridiomycosis that is killing hundreds of amphibian populations. Chytridiomycosis is an infectious fungal disease in amphibians caused by the chytrid (pronounced kit-rid) fungi, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (sometimes collectively referred to as the chytrids). Within the past 50 years, these infectious fungi rapidly spread from Asia into amphibian populations around the world, thanks to the international pet trade.

A frog undergoing a prophylactic itraconozole bath treatment for chytridiomycosis. (Credit: Brian Gratwicke / CC BY 2.0)

Although several treatments have been devised over the years, including prophylactic treatments with fungicides and probiotic bacteria (ref), and the development of a virus that specifically attacks the fungus (read more here) is currently underway, these treatments aren’t always effective nor practical for wild…