Overview

• A June 5 study in Frontiers in Marine Science shows that applying the probiotic Pseudoalteromonas sp. McH1-7 under plastic bags slowed tissue loss in great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) afflicted by SCTLD.
• The McH1-7 strain, sourced from disease-resistant corals, produces antibacterial compounds that curb pathogen spread without displacing native coral microbiomes.
• Conventional amoxicillin-based pastes require frequent reapplication and risk driving antibiotic resistance, highlighting the need for longer-lasting interventions.
• Field trials near Fort Lauderdale recorded average tissue loss of 7 percent in bagged probiotic treatments compared with 30 percent in untreated colonies, while lesion-only paste applications had no effect.
• Researchers warn results are limited to one coral species and call for broader Caribbean trials to refine probiotic delivery and assess efficacy across diverse reefs.