What is Chytridiomycosis?

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About Chytridiomycosis:

It is an infectious disease that affects amphibians, especially frogs worldwide.
It is caused by either of two species of amphibian chytrid fungus. They are called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans.
It is an emerging disease that is significantly impacting amphibian populations across the globe.
The disease has caused the decline or complete extinction of over 200 species of frogs and other amphibians.
How chytrid fungus infects the frog?
- Chytrid fungus is a waterborne fungus that disperses into the environment in order to search for a new host.
- The fungus travels through water sources until it finds a new host, and enters through the skin.
- Chytrid infects frogs by reproducing in their skin.
- The single-celled fungus enters a skin cell, multiplies, and then breaks back out onto the surface of the animal.
- This damage to the skin affects the frog’s ability to balance water and salt levels and eventually leads to death if infection levels are high enough.

Q1) What is a fungus?

A fungus (plural: fungi) is a type of eukaryotic organism belonging to the kingdom Fungi, alongside plants, animals, protozoa, and monera. Fungi are incredibly diverse, with commonly encountered forms including yeast, molds, truffles, and mushrooms.

Source: The world’s worst animal disease is killing frogs worldwide