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USF researchers among first to identify viruses linked to red tide, which could help predict future blooms

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Published  March 24, 2025 4:52pm EDT
Red Tide
FOX 13 News

USF researchers among first to identify viruses linked to red tide, which could help predict future blooms

FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia reports.

The Brief

    • Researchers at USF are among the first to identify viruses associated with red tide, which could help experts predict future blooms.
    • Just last month, Mote Marine Laboratory officials were monitoring red tide on Lido Beach where plenty of dead fish had washed ashore.
    • With these viruses identified, researchers can study how these viruses influence or affect Karenia brevis, the organism that causes red tide.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Researchers at the University of South Florida are among the first to identify viruses associated with red tide, which could help experts predict future blooms. 

The USF team partnered with experts from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) to collect water samples containing red tide off the coast of southwest Florida. 

RELATED: Dead fish washing ashore on Lido Beach as Mote Marine Laboratory confirms red tide

"We process the seawater samples in the lab, and we extract RNA and DNA from them to identify viruses associated with red tide blooms," said scientific researcher Dr. Jean Lim with USF College of Marine Science in St. Pete. 

Dig deeper:

Red tide can kill fish and make humans sick. Just last month, Mote Marine Laboratory officials were monitoring red tide on Lido Beach where plenty of dead fish had washed ashore.  

With these viruses now identified, researchers can study how these viruses influence or affect Karenia brevis, the organism that causes red tide. 

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"So whether [the virus] inhibits the growth of Karenia brevis or even kills Karenia brevis. So that is the next very challenging step," Lim said. 

Right now, experts rely on satellite imagery, water samples, and ocean circulation models to forecast the movement of red tide blooms. But, they’re always looking for more tools to add to the toolbox. 

"We know that it is a recurring problem that's not going to go away," Lim said of red tide. 

What's next:

Moving forward, Lim and her team will study the extent these viruses could control red tide. For example, whether an increased number of certain viruses could suggest a red tide bloom is about to begin. 

READ: Mote Marine Laboratory sees a 70% kill rate during mitigation field testing

"Basically, the goal is to create better approaches to be able to forecast Karenia brevis blooms," Lim said. 

Lim and her colleagues’ study identifying viruses was recently published in the American Society for Microbiology’s journal mSphere.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through an interview with Dr. Jean Lim as well as the study published mSphere. 

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