Scores of oysters wiped out by herpes virus

A hybrid form of oyster herpes is wiping out scores of bivalves, leaving the $4.1 billion oyster industry shell-shocked.

Ostreid herpesvirus-1 microvariant, which has a 100 per cent mortality rate among Pacific oysters, has already killed millions of mollusks in Australia and Europe, according to Bloomberg News.

While the virus, also known as Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome, threatens the Pacific Oyster industry, it does not pose a threat to humans.

Bloomberg reports that it killed 10 million oysters over three days and researchers believe it has been triggered by climate change.

It is unknown exactly how the virus spreads, however researcher say it isn’t transmitted through sexual contact.

Scientists at the University of Tasmania have started to track the virus using heart rate monitors and hooking infected oysters up to wires in a lab.

The virus only seems to harm Pacific oysters, according to the NSW government.