Bacterium Causes Historic Sea Star Die-Off

Scientists have identified Vibrio pectenicida, a bacterium from the cholera family, as the cause of sea star wasting disease, which has killed over five billion sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America since 2013. The outbreak, considered the largest marine wildlife disease event in history, has affected more than 20 species, with the sunflower sea star losing about 90% of its population. The disease spreads rapidly via direct contact or contaminated water and causes lesions, arm loss, and death within days. Earlier research had incorrectly implicated a virus, but new analyses of sea star bodily fluids confirmed the bacterial cause. The decline of sea stars, especially sunflower sea stars, has resulted in unchecked sea urchin growth and severe kelp forest loss. This discovery offers hope for developing treatments and restoring marine ecosystems.