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Dead sardines with herpes virus wash ashore in South Africa
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists in South Africa are investigating mass deaths of sardines along the west and south coasts, with a herpes virus called pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) detected in affected fish and suspected as a leading cause.
- PHV, previously linked to sardine die-offs in Australia, causes gill inflammation that impairs oxygen uptake in sardines, but poses no known risk to humans or commercially caught sardines.
- Initial tests show high PHV levels in dead sardines from the event, while live sardines have varied virus levels; other factors like harmful algae, cold temperatures, or low oxygen are also being considered.
- Experts caution that multiple environmental factors may contribute to the mortality, as changes in water quality or temperature can increase fish susceptibility to disease.
- The sardine deaths have disrupted operations at South Africa’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, which had to reduce power output after dead fish clogged its seawater intake.
