Assessments of amphibian immune state have been commonly made through indirect methods like phytohemagglutinin injections, or by direct methods like cell counts from blood smears. Here a simple method is validated to assess immune responses in amphibians by means of flow cytometry with a fluorescent lipophilic dye, which removes the need for specific antibodies.

Planetary-scale changes due to human activities involve abrupt environmental alterations, which can particularly involve dramatic consequences in the aquatic systems because of the low dispersal ability of many species living there. In this study the physiological stress responses against non-lethal levels of common stressors for amphibian larvae, the most threatened group in the world, were evaluated.