All Snakes in the World Threatened by This Deadly Fungus Infection

Snake Infected Mushrooms

Outbreaks of skin diseases are not only experienced by humans alone. The same can be experienced by animals. Like today, a deadly disease outbreak caused by a fungal pathogen is attacking a variety of snake species. This disease makes snake skin damaged by skin scales that are crusty and blister all over the body.

Researchers say, mushrooms that attack only this snake has spread in the United States and Europe. Up to now, 23 species have been found to suffer from the disease. In a study published in the journal Science Advances, experts assert that this snake fungus epidemic is a real global threat. What's more, there is no snake that is immune to this snake fungus infection.

"This is really a bad thing, and all snakes can get infected or even become infected," said Frank Burbrink, principal investigator on the disease, quoted by Newsweek, Wednesday (20/12/2017). Burbrink said that the parasitic fungus that attacks the snake is known as Ophidiomyces ophidiodiicola. To find out what this disease is, he and his team insert the snake that is affected by the disease to the Neural Network (ANN).

Ideally, ANN will provide information about snakes infected, separate and compare their characteristics to determine the cause of the infection itself. How to analyze the differences in snake characteristics, ranging from taxonomy, ecosystem, and how they live.

This study also took samples of various types of snakes, ranging from water snakes, snakes ashore, as well as snakes that live in trees from around the world. Unfortunately, ANN can not find the main factor because all vulnerable snakes have this disease. According to Burbrink who works in the department of herpetology of the American Museum of Natural History, the situation is grave.

"It's kind of scary because all the snakes that have this disease are so different, they're so ecologically and evolutionarily different, and we think other snakes can get infected," Burbrink says. He said that one way to get the snake to recover from a fungal disease is to replace the skin.

However, many snakes die for trying this way, although not directly killed by the disease. For example, when infected snakes change their skin and bask in the sun for long periods, they are exposing themselves in open areas and can be attacked by predators.

Until the research is published, researchers still don't understand why mushrooms attack only snakes and not lizards. In addition, they also can not ascertain whether this snake fungus disease can be transmitted to other animals and humans, or not.

Currently this epidemic has spread in the European region and the eastern half of the US. Burbrink worries 98 groups of snakes in the United States can be affected by this disease and its outbreaks are widespread throughout the world. "It's a serious problem and it needs to be overcome now we know how bad it is," he said.