It has been found by researchers in a study that a recently identified tadpole disease is present in a range of frog populations throughout the world. The disease is highly infectious. This new discovery reveals more about some of the risks for fragile frog populations. Their population is declining around the world.

The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal. University of Exeter and the Natural History Museum has led the study. It has come up with the molecular methods used for testing frog tadpoles for a recently identified agent that leads to the infection.

As per reports, researchers tested tadpoles from six countries for 'protists', which are single celled microbes having complex cells that store their DNA in a nucleus. The parasite was there in tadpole livers in both temperate and tropical sites, and in all the countries that were tested. This infectious agent was known to be some way associated with Perkinsea sp., which is a marine parasite found in algae and animals.

According to Professor Thomas Richards from the University of Exeter, "Global frog populations are suffering serious declines and infectious disease has been shown to be a significant factor. Our work has revealed a previously unidentified microbial group that infects tadpole livers in frog populations across the globe".

He added that it is required to understand if the new microbe, which is some way related to oyster parasites, leads to the disease and could be playing a role in the decline in frog population.