The natural history, ecology, and epidemiology of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and its potential impact on free-ranging snake populations

• Some pathotypes in Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola cause serious disease in free range snakes.
• These fungi usually kill their hosts resulting in large declines in population sizes of hosts.
• It is possible that these fungi can be spread internationally through the animal trade.
• Molecular tests for this disease, prevention strategies, and therapeutic options are needed.

Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the causative agent of snake fungal disease, is a serious emerging fungal pathogen of North American-endemic and captive snakes. We provide a detailed literature review, introduce new ecological and biological information and consider aspects of O. ophiodiicola that need further investigation. The current biological evidence suggests that this fungus can persist as an environmental saprobe in soil, as well as colonizing living hosts. Not unlike other emerging fungal pathogens, many fundamental questions such as the origin of O. ophiodiicola, mode of transmission, environmental influences, and effective treatment options still need to be investigated.