Home Science Newly discovered probiotic could protect Caribbean corals threatened by deadly, devastating disease

Newly discovered probiotic could protect Caribbean corals threatened by deadly, devastating disease

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Researchers have discovered the first effective bacterial probiotic for treating and preventing stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), a mysterious ailment that has devastated Florida’s coral reefs since 2014 and is rapidly spreading throughout the Caribbean. The probiotic treatment provides an alternative to the use of the broad-spectrum antibiotic amoxicillin, which has so far been the only proven treatment for the disease but which runs the risk of promoting antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Source: ScienceDaily.com