Bacterium identified as cause of sea star wasting disease

WWU researchers identify a bacterium linked to sea star wasting disease and outline questions for monitoring and further study.

Bacterium identified as cause of sea star wasting disease

Researchers at Western Washington University have identified a bacterium, Vibrio pectenicida, as the cause of sea star wasting disease, an illness that has wiped out billions of sea stars since 2013. The team isolated the strain from sunflower sea stars, a large species hit hard by the outbreak in the Pacific Northwest. The discovery could allow targeted monitoring to test for the bacterium in different regions and help gauge risk to sea star populations.

Scientists caution that the bacterium may not be the sole cause. Brodhagen notes that there could be more than one pathogen, and that related bacteria were found in other samples. This raises questions about whether different species or environmental conditions shape the disease and whether monitoring should look for multiple drivers.

This breakthrough illustrates how hard it is to pin down marine diseases. The question of whether a single pathogen explains wasting across several sea star species remains unsettled, but the search for answers is now more precise and urgent.

The shift toward targeted monitoring is a practical step. It promises better data on spread and risk, though it also invites questions about funding, coordination, and long term resilience of monitoring programs in a changing ocean.

Highlights

The next findings will shape how scientists protect ocean life and our shared future.