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Background  The spread of wildlife pathogens into new geographical ranges or populations is a conservation concern for endangered species.  Cystodiscus australis  and  Cystodiscus axonis  are two species of myxosporean parasites infecting Australian frogs and tadpoles that have been recently recognised as important disease agents impacting amphibian conservation. Yet despite their importance to wildlife health, the mechanism of emergence for these parasites is unknown. We hypothesise that these parasites are capable of being accidentally translocated with their amphibian hosts in fresh produce (agricultural, horticultural and industrial) shipments into naïve environments and host populations.    Methods  We surveyed 33 Australian “Banana box” frogs from Sydney fruit markets during 2011 using faecal smears and multiplex species specific PCR on DNA isolated from frog faeces or using histopathology to demonstrate the presence of both  C. australis  and  C. axonis .    Results  One of the “Banana box” frogs, the Dainty green tree frog ( Litoria gracilenta ) was positive for  C. australis  and  C. axonis  in its faeces and continuously shed the parasites for eight months.    Conclusions  We present a possible mechanism for the emergence of  Cystodiscus  parasites and a non-invasive screening method to be used as a diagnostic test. In the future, vigilance and communication between wildlife managers/researchers and veterinarians will provide valuable information about these parasites, their host range and true distribution. This will aid risk management assessments for threatened populations within the range of  Cystodiscus  parasites and ultimately enhance conservation efforts.

Emerging myxosporean parasites of Australian frogs take a ride with fresh fruit transport