Cures for Chytrid Fungus

Chytrid fungus is one of the most primitive divisions of the fungi kingdom, and it consists of around 1,000 different species. The fungus is mostly known for its aquatic species which plague amphibians like frogs that are often unable to fight off the fungal infection without treatment. There are multiple treatments for chytrid fungus which have been developed to combat the amphibian-killing condition.

  1. Itraconazole

    • This antifungal medication has been used in both humans and amphibians to relieve the infection of chytrid fungus. Bathing amphibians in itraconazole, a treatment method developed at the Smithsonian National Zoo, has been used to treat infected amphibians rescued from the wild. Like any medication, there are strains of chytrid fungus that have developed a resistance to itraconazole, but it is still the most effective treatment method available.

    Terbinafine Hydrochloride

    • This fungal treatment is familiar to humans in the form of a popular over-the-counter brand of athlete's foot medication. This compound has had some success at curing amphibians of the chytrid fungus. The medication is diluted in water (10 squirts per 200 milliliters of water), and the frog is soaked five minutes a day for 10 days. Keep the frog in quarantine until the end of the 10 days of bathing.

    Heat

    • When the water holding your infected frog is heated beyond 32 degrees Centigrade (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the fungus and spores of the fungus can be killed. Water in the tank must be de-chlorinated and heated slowly to a maximum of 34 degrees Centigrade (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit). During the heating period, the frog should be fed sparingly and ammonia levels of the water should be monitored. After five days, the fungus should be dead, and the temperature can be lowered back to the normal temperature.

    Chloramphenicol

    • This antibiotic eye ointment in humans has been found to have a curative effect on the chytrid fungus. While the substance is currently banned for aquarium fish, you may be able to obtain it with a veterinarian's approval. A New Zealand study showed that the solution, when added to a water bath for the frogs, completely killed the fungus. Researchers are not quite sure why an antibiotic (usually reserved for killing bacteria) works on a fungus, but they are pleased at the potential healing properties for frogs that have been endangered as a result of the fungus.