Summary

Over the past fifty years, the disease chytridiomycosis has impacted at least 500 species of amphibians around the world. It is caused by the chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans, and while it causes sporadic mortality in some amphibian species, it completely wipes out others. Because of that, it has been called 'the worst pathogen in the history of the world, in terms of its impact on biodiversity'. However, the disease has had differing effects across different geographical regions. An extensive literature review was conducted in order to gain a better understanding of differences in occurrence and mortality rates of chytridiomycosis in temperate climates of Western Europe compared to tropical climates of Central America.