gizmodo.com - It starts with a single lesion. And then another. Soon, the snake’s entire body is covered in the unsightly sores. If the snake is lucky, its skin will start molting, expunging the reptile of the infection. Less fortunate snakes will die. And in some cases, desperate snakes will spend more time in the sun to expedite the molting process—a risky move that makes them vulnerable to predators.
This awful fungal infection is caused by a pathogen called Ophidiomyces ophidiodiicola, and it’s starting to make scientists quite nervous. As a new study published in Scientific Advances points out, this infectious disease, which is known to afflict a handful of snake species in the United States and Europe, could soon reach global, pandemic proportions.
A team of scientists from the American Museum of Natural History, the US Geological Survey, and the University of Maryland, College Park, say snake fungal disease (SFD) can infect many species of snake regardless of genetic predispositions, physical characteristics, or habitat (this fungus doesn’t harm humans, in case you’re wondering). Disturbingly, virtually every snake on the planet is at risk—and the call is now out for scientists to be on the look-out for this emerging threat. (ontinueReading
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