Ophidiomyces ophidiicola in Northern Pine Snakes (Pituophis m. melanoleucus) in New Jersey: Known-Aged Individuals Indicate Endemic Status, Recovery and Reinfection, and Survival at Least 8 Years Post-Infection

Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (O. ophidiicola) causes ophidiomycosis and has deleterious effects in some North American snakes. Studies have suggested that it is endemic in some species, but most studies have been conducted on individuals of unknown age, for only a season or two. This paper fills that gap by exploring prevalence of qPCR-confirmed ophidiomycosis in known-aged Northern pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus) during a six-year testing period, followed by two years of monitoring survival. Some individuals testing positive for O. ophidiicola lived for at least 8 years following initial infection, and their O. ophidiicola status could change from positive to negative and back again in successive years, while still seeming healthy. Approximately 85% were positive in at least one year, and overall positivity was 65% in the snakes. Detection frequency was 45% for ventral swabs, and only 23% for head swabs. Of 31 snakes found at least a year after first testing positive, 71% lived at least 3 years, and 23% lived 6 or more years. Females lived longer after testing positive than males, and more females changed from positive to negative than did males. These data help understand infections, recovery and re-infection in individuals, as well as survival of marked individuals, and have implications for endemism and long-term population viability of snake populations exposed to O. ophidiicola.