Meeting Abstract
Chemical contaminants and disease present immediate threats to amphibian populations worldwide. Previous research on the effects of chemical contamination on amphibians has focused on the lethal effects of high-use pesticides. However, there is a noticeable lack of information regarding the neonicotinoid insecticides, despite their increased importance in pest control. Further, less information is available on sublethal endpoints that may influence organism success in altered habitats, such as immunity. Imidacloprid is a commonly used neonicotinoid pesticide and has been found to contaminate aquatic environments yet little information is available on the effects of imidacloprid exposure on aquatic animals. This study assessed the effects of imidacloprid exposure on immunity in a laboratory model amphibian, the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). Adult male (X. laevis) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of imidacloprid by immersion for 48 days. White blood cell differentials and (in vitro) plasma antimicrobial activity were examined from samples collected under baseline and handling-stressed conditions. This study provides insight into the sublethal effects of an emerging environmental contaminant on aquatic life, with implications for amphibian resistance to pathogens associated with population declines.
