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South Africa investigates herpesvirus amid mass sardine die-off

Scientists say the pilchard herpesvirus found in affected sardines has not been linked to known human health risks, and the case marks the first detection of PHV in sardines off South Africa.

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Scientists in South Africa are investigating a mass die-off of sardines along parts of the west and south coasts, including whether a herpes virus detected in the fish is responsible, according to the Associated Press.

The South African environment department said the virus, pilchard herpesvirus or PHV, has been identified in sardines off South Africa for the first time. The department linked PHV to earlier mass sardine mortality events in Australia in the 1990s and said it can cause inflammation and thickening of sardines’ gills, impairing oxygen uptake.

The environment department said PHV is a fish virus and poses no known risk to human health, and its detection does not mean healthy sardines caught commercially or canned sardine products are unsafe to eat.

Dozens of sardines from affected areas, some dead and some alive, are being examined by scientists at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity and a local university.

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