Investigating the intricate transmission dynamics of Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans in salamander populations of North America

Mohammad Mihrab Uddin Chowdhury

Texas Tech University

"Investigating the intricate transmission dynamics of Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans in salamander populations of North America"

Infectious disease dynamics in amphibians, which can be transmitted through multiple routes, constitute a complex and interconnected system. The spread of infection varies depending on the population level and age stages of the host species, such as larvae, efts, and adults. Due to seasonal reproductive behaviors and metamorphosis, the population density of each stage fluctuates over time. To study the transmission dynamics of a fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans (Bsal), in North American salamanders across different population densities and environments, we developed a compartmental model using ordinary differential equations. By analyzing model and simulations, we gained insights into strategies for controlling transmission and preventing epidemic outbreaks resulting from different pathogen loads at different temperatures.
Additional authors: Matthew J. Gray, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) , Knoxville, Tennessee, USA ; Angela Peace, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA

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