First line of defence: Skin microbiota may protect anurans from infective larval lungworms

Keith Christian; Richard Shine; Kimberley A. Day; Mirjam Kaestli; Karen Gibb; Catherine M. Shilton; Gregory P. Brown

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.02.014

First line of defence: Skin microbiota may protect anurans from infective larval lungworms

Keith Christian, Richard Shine, Kimberley A. Day, Mirjam Kaestli, Karen Gibb, Catherine M. Shilton, Gregory P. Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Functional roles of the rich microbiota of the skin are not fully understood, but include protection against microbial diseases and other environmental challenges. In experimental studies, we show that reducing the microbiota from cane toad (Rhinella marina) skin by gently wiping with absorptive gauze resulted in threefold higher rates of infection by lungworms (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala) following standardised exposure to infective skin-penetrating larvae. Higher concentrations of microbial DNA were associated with lower rates of lungworm entry. Our data suggest that microbial activity on the anuran skin comprises an important line of defence against attack by macroparasites as well as by fungi and other microbes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	185-189
Number of pages	5
Journal	International Journal For Parasitology: Parasites And Wildlife
Volume	14
Early online date	Mar 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.02.014
Publication status	Published - Apr 2021

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10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.02.014

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title = "First line of defence: Skin microbiota may protect anurans from infective larval lungworms",

abstract = "Functional roles of the rich microbiota of the skin are not fully understood, but include protection against microbial diseases and other environmental challenges. In experimental studies, we show that reducing the microbiota from cane toad (Rhinella marina) skin by gently wiping with absorptive gauze resulted in threefold higher rates of infection by lungworms (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala) following standardised exposure to infective skin-penetrating larvae. Higher concentrations of microbial DNA were associated with lower rates of lungworm entry. Our data suggest that microbial activity on the anuran skin comprises an important line of defence against attack by macroparasites as well as by fungi and other microbes.",

keywords = "Host-parasite, Microbiota, Pathogen, Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala, Rhinella marina",

author = "Keith Christian and Richard Shine and Day, {Kimberley A.} and Mirjam Kaestli and Karen Gibb and Shilton, {Catherine M.} and Brown, {Gregory P.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Georgia Ward-Fear for collecting toads and Alea Rose for her help with the qPCR analyses. This study was financed by the Australian Research Council ( DP190100507 , DP190102395 ) and Charles Darwin University . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.02.014",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

pages = "185--189",

journal = "International Journal For Parasitology: Parasites And Wildlife",

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T2 - Skin microbiota may protect anurans from infective larval lungworms

AU - Christian, Keith

AU - Shine, Richard

AU - Day, Kimberley A.

AU - Kaestli, Mirjam

AU - Gibb, Karen

AU - Shilton, Catherine M.

AU - Brown, Gregory P.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Georgia Ward-Fear for collecting toads and Alea Rose for her help with the qPCR analyses. This study was financed by the Australian Research Council ( DP190100507 , DP190102395 ) and Charles Darwin University . Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/4

Y1 - 2021/4

N2 - Functional roles of the rich microbiota of the skin are not fully understood, but include protection against microbial diseases and other environmental challenges. In experimental studies, we show that reducing the microbiota from cane toad (Rhinella marina) skin by gently wiping with absorptive gauze resulted in threefold higher rates of infection by lungworms (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala) following standardised exposure to infective skin-penetrating larvae. Higher concentrations of microbial DNA were associated with lower rates of lungworm entry. Our data suggest that microbial activity on the anuran skin comprises an important line of defence against attack by macroparasites as well as by fungi and other microbes.

AB - Functional roles of the rich microbiota of the skin are not fully understood, but include protection against microbial diseases and other environmental challenges. In experimental studies, we show that reducing the microbiota from cane toad (Rhinella marina) skin by gently wiping with absorptive gauze resulted in threefold higher rates of infection by lungworms (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala) following standardised exposure to infective skin-penetrating larvae. Higher concentrations of microbial DNA were associated with lower rates of lungworm entry. Our data suggest that microbial activity on the anuran skin comprises an important line of defence against attack by macroparasites as well as by fungi and other microbes.

KW - Host-parasite

KW - Microbiota

KW - Pathogen

KW - Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala

KW - Rhinella marina

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DO - 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.02.014

M3 - Article

C2 - 33898219

AN - SCOPUS:85102000381

SN - 2213-2244

VL - 14

SP - 185

EP - 189

JO - International Journal For Parasitology: Parasites And Wildlife

JF - International Journal For Parasitology: Parasites And Wildlife

ER -

First line of defence: Skin microbiota may protect anurans from infective larval lungworms

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