Historical Prevalence of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in West Africa

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is implicated in global declines and extinctions of amphibian species. Although Bd is found on all continents where amphibians persist, disease dynamics and prevalence remain poorly quantified and understood in certain regions of the world, such as West Africa. West Africa is characterized as a “safe haven” for amphibians despite niche models indicating that there is suitable habitat for Bd in this region. Therefore, a major knowledge gap remains regarding the threats that Bd poses to West African amphibians. We screened 3093 fluid-preserved amphibian specimens to determine the historical prevalence of Bd in West Africa. We detected five Bd-positive samples originating from Ghana and Benin, with the earliest positive occurrence dating back to 1969, suggesting that Bd has been present in West Africa for at least 54 yr. We obtained sequence data for two of these samples and both correspond to the BdGPL2 clade. West Africa hosts amphibian assemblages that are distinct from any other African region; thus continued Bd surveys are crucial for defining the extent of Bd across Africa and understanding whether this pathogen poses a threat to the unique amphibian diversity of this region.