Widespread amphibian Perkinsea infections associated with Ranidae hosts, cooler months, and Ranavirus co-infection

Amphibians suffer from large-scale population declines globally, and emerging infectious diseases contribute heavily to these declines. Amphibian Perkinsea (Pr) is a worldwide anuran pathogen associated with mass mortality events, yet little is known about its epidemiological patterns, especially in comparison to the body of literature on amphibian chytridiomycosis and ranavirosis. 
Here, we establish Pr infection patterns in natural anuran populations and identify important covariates including climate, host attributes, and co-infection with Ranavirus (Rv). 
We used quantitative (q)PCR to determine the presence and intensity of Pr and Rv across 1234 individuals sampled throughout central Florida in 2017-2019. We then implemented random forest ensemble learning models to predict infection with both pathogens based on physiological and environmental characteristics. 
Perkinsea infected 32% of all sampled anurans, and Pr prevalence was significantly elevated in Ranidae frogs, cooler month..., ,

全球范围内，两栖动物种群正面临大规模衰退，而新发传染病是导致该衰退的重要驱动因素。两栖类Perkinsea（Perkinsea, Pr）是一种广泛分布于全球的无尾目病原体，与大规模死亡事件相关，但目前学界对其流行病学模式的认知仍较为有限，相较于两栖类壶菌病（chytridiomycosis）与蛙虹彩病毒病（ranavirosis）已积累的大量研究文献而言尤为如此。
本研究明确了自然无尾目种群中的Pr感染模式，并鉴定出包括气候、宿主特征以及与蛙病毒属（Ranavirus, Rv）合并感染在内的关键协变量。
我们于2017至2019年间在佛罗里达州中部采集了1234份样本，通过定量聚合酶链式反应（qPCR）检测了Pr与Rv的存在及感染强度。随后我们采用随机森林集成学习模型，基于宿主生理与环境特征对两种病原体的感染情况进行预测。
Perkinsea（Pr）在32%的采样无尾目个体中呈阳性，且该病原体的感染率在蛙科（Ranidae）青蛙中显著升高，在较凉爽的月份（cooler month）……