VIBRIOSIS IN AQUACULTURE

Vibriosis is a major bacterial disease in aquaculture, affecting fish and crustaceans. It leads to high mortality rates and economic losses.

• Vibrio bacteria are common in water
• Triggered by stress factors like poor water quality
• Causes skin lesions, lethargy, and anorexia
• Prevention includes good water management
• Feed additives support gut health and prevention

What is the problem? “Sudden” outbreaks of diseases of microbial origin in valuable aquatic farmed species (fish and crustacea) cause significant economic consequences for the aquaculture industry worldwide, due to increased mortality and reduced performance. Furthermore, medical treatments of sick animals raise scepticism of consumers about aquaculture’s quality and credibility.

One of the most devastating bacterial diseases for aquaculture is called vibriosis. This disease can be caused by over 20 species of the gram-negative Vibrio bacteria., such as V. vulnificus or V. parahaemolyticus. These microorganisms also have zoonotic potential and can become a serious threat for human health, as they accumulate in the reared animal’s flesh.

Antibiotic treatments to reduce the negative impacts of vibriosis can lead to undesirable side effects, such as toxicity to the reared animals, and increase the environmental impact. Furthermore, it was reported that some pathogenic Vibrio strains are resistant to several antibiotics. This raises the growing need for new effective prophylactic methods to reduce the use of antibiotics with their undesirable side effects in modern aquaculture