Scientists Identify Starfish 'Killer' on West Coast: A Virus

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After a year-and-a-half, scientist finally discovered the cause of the mass starfish death on the Pacific Coast: a virus.

According to PBS, the Sea star wasting syndrome was first detected in Washington State last year until it spread from Mexico all the way to Alaska. It has already affected more than 20 species of West Coast starfish.

A study led by Ian Hewson, a microbiologist at Cornell University, said that identifying a possible cause of the marine disease is unlikely as "every drop of seawater, there are 10 million viruses that basically we have had to sort through to try and find the virus that is responsible for this disease."

Katie Campbell, a KCTS correspondence in Seattle, said that after months of exploration, researchers have recognized the pathogen at the heart of the starfish squandering ailment. They say its unique in relation to all other known infections' contaminated marine living beings. They have named it Sea Star Associated Densovirus.

It was the "first virus described in a sea star," Hewson said.

The Sea Star Associated Densovirus that killed almost 100 percent of the starfish is said to be facilitated by climate change, according to Value Walk.

"Scientists said that it spreads through water when the sea stars feed or gather together. However, it's not a new virus. The SSaDV was detected in starfish and other species as early as 1942," Value Walk added.

Drew Harvell, a marine epidemiologist at Cornell University, said that the deterioration of the diseased starfish is "a lot worse than it was last week."

Harvell considers it as the largest mortality event for marine diseases.

Researchers note that the disease could be intensified by warming waters, which puts extra weight on the ocean animals and could make them more powerless against the dangerous pathogen, according to Daily Digest News.

The discovery of the virus wasn't easy, according to Value Walk. Researcher performed the study by collecting sunflower starfish, putting them in different tanks, and giving them filtered seawater that was treated with UV light. They then compared the tissues of the infected animals with the healthy ones. The scientists were able to find the genome of a new virus.

Campbell said that next step for Hewson's team is to investigate the factors that could possible make the marine  creatures more vulnerable to the virus.