Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) poses a serious threat to Urodeles, causing mass mortality in populations naive to the pathogen. Its potential impact is particularly high in Southern Europe, which hosts a rich diversity of Urodeles, many of them endemic and with restricted ranges.

The Golden Alpine Salamander (Salamandra atra aurorae), confined to less than 100 square kilometers in the south-eastern Italian Prealps, is known to be highly vulnerable to Bsal in captivity. While the presence of the pathogen was recently ruled out in populations inhabiting the central part of the subspecies' range, data on populations living at its periphery remained limited.

This gap was addressed by a study that will be soon published in Acta Herpetologica. During the summer of 2020, 44 Golden Alpine Salamanders were captured on the Vezzena Plateau (Trentino-Alto Adige, North-Eastern Italy). Each individual was measured, sexed, and carefully inspected for external signs of Bsal, with no evidence of infection detected. Additionally, molecular analysis of skin swabs confirmed the absence of the pathogen in the population.

Despite the bioclimatic conditions of the study area being highly suitable for the spread of Bsal, the findings reaffirm the absence of the pathogen in Italy. However, maintaining this favorable status requires proactive measures: educating the public about the risks posed by Bsal, minimizing human disturbance, preventing the introduction of alien species, and—most importantly—implementing regular screening of target populations to enable early detection of emerging pathogens.

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