The disease that has haunted many frog species around the world has been declared ‘notifiable’ by the OIE, the world organization for animal health, following research conducted by James Cook University.

In Australia, chytridiomycosishas been responsible for the extinction of nine species, near extinction of five species and the dramatic decline in populations of seven species of frogs. Worldwide, it has caused extinctions and declines in 200 species of frogs in Central, South and North America, Africa, Spain and New Zealand.

The classification of Chytridiomycosis as ‘notifiable’ by the OIE means that the 172 countries that are members of the OIE are required to report on the status of this disease in their country every six months.

In 1996, James Cook University researcher Professor Rick Speare suggested that the decline in frog species and populations was due to a spreading disease. A year later one of his PhD students, Lee Berger discovered the disease chytridiomycosis, determining it was the spreading disease predicted by Professor Speare. JCU Research Fellow, Dr Lee Skerratt, recently confirmed that it is the spread of the disease that has caused its emergence.

“All of this research culminated in the OIE actioning control of this spread,” Dr Skerratt said.

“This listing confirms that the world agrees with the conclusions drawn from our research.”

Other bodies have also recognised the research done at JCU and have implemented action plans including the International Union for Conservation of Nature with the publication of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan. In Australia, “The Australian Threat Abatement Plan for Chytridiomycosis (Chytrid TAP), which was primarily written by Professor Speare, aims to control the spread of the disease through adopting hygiene and quarantine measures,” Dr Skerratt said.