Add Fungi: Ophidiomycosis to examined/detected code table

[campmlc]

Request to add the term "fungi: Ophidiomycosis" to the examined_detected code table: code table: https://arctos.database.museum/info/ctDocumentation.cfm?table=ctexamined_detected

Definition: Snake Fungal Disease (SFD) is caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in the Nannizziopsiaceae within the Ascomycota. Clinical signs of SFD include: accelerated ecdysis cycles, epidermal flaking and crusting, displaced and/or discolored scales, granulomas, nodules, and swelling or disfiguration of infected tissues.

Lorch JM, Knowles S, Lankton JS, Michell K, Edwards JL, Kapfer JM, Staffen RA, Wild ER, Schmidt KZ, Ballmann AE, Blodgett D, Farrell TM, Glorioso BM, Last LA, Price SJ, Schuler KL, Smith CE, Wellehan JF Jr, Blehert DS. Snake fungal disease: an emerging threat to wild snakes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2016 Dec 5;371(1709):20150457. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0457. PMID: 28080983; PMCID: PMC5095536.

https://experts.illinois.edu/en/publications/case-definition-and-diagnostic-testing-for-snake-fungal-disease Baker, Sarah J., et al. "Case definition and diagnostic testing for snake fungal disease." Herpetological Review 50.2 (2019): 279-285.

I am requesting that the disease condition rather than the fungal species be used as it has been the disease and its clinical signs which are being examined for; only recently has the fungus itself been identified. This disease is linked to the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, but as this is an emerging infectious disease of wildlife, it may be that there are other fungal taxa which may cause similar symptoms.

Additional search terms should include: Snake fungal disease, SFD, Ophidiomyces, ophiodiicola, Nannizziopsiaceae

[mkoo]

I understand reasons for allowing this CT for disease conditions (like chytridiomycosis, this disease could have more than one causative fungal agent) but then should it be Disease: ophidiomycosis?

No preference at the moment but just a thought to the logic of the proposal. The current mix on the CT is both for symptoms of a disease and for specific presence of a causative agent....

[campmlc]

I think that using "disease" as a category would be confusing and hinder searches. It could be added as an alternative search term, but that would also include pathology etc. The request I received from the grad student doing this research as well as the papers they provided and the subsequent links I found all refer to snake fungal disease and ophidiomycosis specifically. I found only one that was using qPCR to look for the organism rather than the syndrome. In the case of this student, they are actually looking for the clinical signs using preserved museum specimens, not doing molecular screening. I'd like her to be able to add this attribute to the records she is cataloging over break.

[campmlc]

Note we have the same usage for prion: Chronic Wasting Disease.

[campmlc]

Another consideration in allowing this attribute to be used as a disease condition is not only when there is more than one causative agent but also when the causative agent is unknown or poorly known.

[mkoo]

Another consideration in allowing this attribute to be used as a disease condition is not only when there is more than one causative agent but also when the causative agent is unknown or poorly known.

How would this differ from the current option of "pathology"? (devil's advocate hat on)

[campmlc]

We need to be able to say a specimen was examined for the condition using morphology and the condition was detected or not using morphology, and also it may later have been examined using molecular methods and detected or not etc. The point if this attribute is to provide a search function for the examination/detection of these terms. It's not perfect. But it needs to be responsive to the scientific community and the actual usage in common practice. Pathology is a vague term used to capture the results of an autopsy. Not useful when more specific targeted terms are available.

[campmlc]

This relates to adding Bd and Bsal which are upcoming.

[campmlc]

Upping priority - needed by a student within next month.