| Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is a rarely endangered species and the largest amphibian in
the world, and listed as Class II state major protected wildlife species in China. Because the population of wild Chinese
giant salamanders has dropped sharply, Chinese giant salamander is artificially farmed in mesocosms for research and
conservation. Recently, infectious diseases are implicated in the declines and the economic loss in cultured and wild
Chinese giant salamander. Pathogens infecting giant salamander include bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses, including
ranavirus associated with mass mortality in outbreaks of epidemic diseases from 2011. The research progress on these
pathogens, their biochemical and biological properties, the susceptibility to antibiotics and pathogenic characteristics are
briefly reviewed. This will benefit to the better understanding of pathogenesis and molecular infection mechanism for giant
salamander, and will also help to the findings of anti-infective therapy. |
