Vaccines against AMR in Aquaculture

Antimicrobials are essential to support human and animal health, but their increased use and often misuse in our food production systems, exacerbates the rapid development of AMR globally. Aquaculture is a growth food sector, supplying more than 50% of all seafood consumed and 80% of the global products sold are produced in Asian countries. The medicines regulation in many of these countries are inadequate and the ready availability of antibiotics to farmers exacerbates the risk of misuse leading to antimicrobial resistance. Alternatives to antibiotics in aquaculture are limited, where vaccines are by far the most cost-effective veterinary solution for global aquaculture systems. This project will develop a more efficacious multivalent vaccine and better delivery mechanisms against 2 of the most prevalent bacterial diseases affecting farmed catfish and tilapia. Both Aeromonas hydrophila and Edwardsiella ictaluri have been identified as bacterial diseases of high importance for Asian aquaculture systems, particularly damaging for the Vietnamese catfish sector. The project is a collaboration between IoA, Stirling and RIA 2, Vietnam but will also be beneficial to the surrounding tilapia and catfish producing countries within the region.