Scientists Identify Bacterial Cause of Sea Star Wasting Disease

Since 2013, a mysterious disease has led to the death of over 5 billion sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America, severely impacting more than 20 species. The sunflower sea star, in particular, experienced a population decline of approximately 90% within the first five years of the outbreak.

Recent research has identified the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida as the cause of this sea star wasting disease. The disease manifests through lesions, arm loss, and eventual disintegration of the sea stars' bodies. The findings were published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

The loss of sea stars has led to an overpopulation of sea urchins, which in turn has devastated kelp forests—critical habitats for numerous marine species. Understanding the bacterial cause of the disease is a significant step toward developing conservation strategies, such as breeding disease-resistant sea stars and restoring affected ecosystems.