Quantification of virus-like particles suggests viral infection in corals affected by Porites tissue loss

Porites tissue loss is a common disease of Porites compressa on Hawaiian reefs. Despite its prevalence, to date, the aetiological agent of the disease has not been found. The apparent lack of a microbial causative agent in the similar disease Porites bleaching with tissue loss, as well as increasing evidence of viral infections in scleractinian corals and Symbiodinium, led us to hypothesise that a virus may be responsible. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of numerous and varied virus-like particles (VLPs) in healthy and diseased P. compressa colonies. While overall virus numbers were similar in all samples, the abundance of a group of icosahedral VLPs differed significantly between healthy and diseased colonies. While not conclusive, these results suggest that viruses may play a role in this disease, and provide a basis for further studies.