@article{f620c8b58b8d40fd9a8e589a8f881907,
title = "Estimating occurrence, prevalence, and detection of amphibian pathogens: Insights from occupancy models",
abstract = "Understanding the distribution of pathogens across landscapes and their prevalence within host populations is a common aim of wildlife managers. Despite the need for unbiased estimates of pathogen occurrence and prevalence for planning effective management interventions, many researchers fail to account for imperfect pathogen detection. Instead raw data are often reported, which may lead to ineffective, or even detrimental, management actions. We illustrate the utility of occupancy models for generating unbiased estimates of disease parameters by 1) providing a written tutorial describing how to fit these models in Program PRESENCE and 2) presenting a case study with the pathogen ranavirus. We analyzed ranavirus detection data from a wildlife refuge (Maryland, US) using occupancy modeling, which yields unbiased estimates of pathogen occurrence and prevalence. We found ranavirus prevalence was underestimated by up to 30% if imperfect pathogen detection was ignored. The unbiased estimate of ranavirus prevalence in larval wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus; 0.73) populations was higher than in larval spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum; 0.56) populations. In addition, the odds of detecting ranavirus in tail samples were 6.7 times higher than detecting ranavirus in liver samples. Therefore, tail samples presented a nonlethal sampling method for ranavirus that may be able to detect early (nonsystemic) infections.",
author = "Mosher, {Brittany A.} and Brand, {Adrianne B.} and Wiewel, {Amber N.M.} and Miller, {David A.W.} and Gray, {Matthew J.} and Miller, {Debra L.} and Grant, {Evan H.Campbell}",
note = "Funding Information: The study was supported by the US Geological Survey{\textquoteright}s Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), the US Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5, and the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch project 1012932). This is contribution number 669 of the ARMI program. We thank the Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative field crew for collecting field data. The research was approved by the Patuxent Research Refuge Animal Care and Use Committee. Any use of trade, firm, or product name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government. Funding Information: The study was supported by the US Geological Survey?s Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), the US Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5, and the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch project 1012932). This is contribution number 669 of the ARMI program. We thank the Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative field crew for collecting field data. The research was approved by the Patuxent Research Refuge Animal Care and Use Committee. Any use of trade, firm, or product name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Wildlife Disease Association 2019.",
year = "2019",
month = jul,
doi = "10.7589/2018-02-042",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "55",
pages = "563--575",
journal = "Journal of wildlife diseases",
issn = "0090-3558",
publisher = "Wildlife Disease Association, Inc.",
number = "3",
}