June 18, 2026 — An already known virus found across global aquaculture species has been associated with a human eye disease for the first time, adding new concerns around raw seafood handling, aquaculture disease control, and how such viruses are monitored, according to a new study.
The study, published in Nature Microbiology, found a correlation between covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV) and ocular hypertension viral anterior uveitis (POH-VAU), the latter of which causes unusually high pressure inside a human eye, inflammation in the middle of the eyeball, and damage to the optic nerve over time, potentially leading to permanent vision loss.