Ostreid herpesvirus Os HV ‐1 μVar in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg 1793) of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO world heritage site

Ostreid herpesvirus OsHV-1 μVar, a pathogen threatening Pacific oyster populations, has been detected in the Wadden Sea. The study, conducted in 2012, analyzed juvenile oysters from five locations in the Dutch Wadden Sea using real-time PCR and sequencing, confirming the virus's presence in three sites. This discovery suggests that OsHV-1 μVar may be more widespread than previously thought, particularly in regions without commercial oyster culture where wild beds with mixed age classes can obscure mortality among juvenile oysters. The findings align with recent reports from Australia and Korea, indicating a broader global distribution of the virus.

Gittenberger, A., Voorbergen‐Laarman, M. A., & Engelsma, M. Y. (2015). Ostreid herpesvirus OsHV‐1 μVar in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg 1793) of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO world heritage site. Journal of Fish Diseases, 39(1), 105–109. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12332