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A survey of the presence of yeasts in frogs and toads in Thailand was conducted using standard mycological examination techniques. The results, which were confirmed with molecular techniques, revealed the presence of five yeast species - Cryptococcus liquefaciens, C. heveanensis, Pseudozyma hubeiensis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and R. minuta - in the bile of these amphibians. Although previous works have isolated yeasts from amphibian gastrointestinal tracts and skin, it is questionable whether these yeasts were acquired by ingestion or were commensals on adult individuals. Frog farms, an urban area and protected natural areas were surveyed and all tested positive for yeasts, which shows their ubiquity in both wild and farm-reared frogs. Additionally, the finding of yeasts in five different species of frogs and toads shows that there is a wide spectrum of hosts in this vertebrate group. Our results thus suggest that yeasts are likely to be widespread among amphibians in different habitat types and in a wide range of host species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host traits can significantly influence patterns of infection and disease. Here, we studied the helminths parasitizing the Italian edible frog Pelophylax kl. hispanicus, giving special attention to the relationship between parasites and host traits such as sex, snout vent length, weight and body condition. The helminth community was composed of seven species: three trematode species (Diplodiscus subclavatus, Gorgodera cygnoides, Pleurogenes claviger), three nematode species (Icosiella neglecta, Oswaldocruzia filiformis, Rhabdias sp.) and one acanthocephalan species (Pomphorhychus laevis). We found that prevalence was positively correlated with snout-vent length and weight, but did not differ with body condition or sex. We found that prevalence and mean species richness increased with age. Our results show that abundance of Icosiella neglecta was positively correlated with higher values for host body condition. In fact, we found that high prevalence and mean species richness do not necessarily imply poorer body condition in the parasitized host. In conclusion, our results show that the helminth community in this taxon has great diversity, and this host-parasite system seems to be evolved to low levels of virulence, helminths maintaining a commensal relationship with this frog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]