IIL, CIFA to commercially develop Aeromonas septicemia vaccine for freshwater fish, Health News, ET HealthWorld
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IIL, CIFA to commercially develop Aeromonas septicemia vaccine for freshwater fish
Over the years, antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are used for controlling bacterial diseases including Aeromonas hydrophila. Now bacterial pathogens have become resistant to these chemicals when used over an extended period and some chemicals pose environmental health hazards. In this context, vaccination is the most promising and environmentally safe concept for controlling diseases.
ETHealthWorld
March 14, 2023, 16:26 IST
Hyderabad: Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) announced a partnership with the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institute for the commercial development of a vaccine against hemorrhagic septicemia, also called Aeromonas septicemia, ulcer disease or red-sore disease in freshwater fish.
IIL ventured into the aqua business in October 2022 by launching products for the aquaculture health market dealing with pond management and fish or shrimp gut management and subsequently announced the commercial development of fish vaccines with ICAR-CIFE. Aquaculture sectors play a vital role in Indias economy and the fisheries sector is a means of livelihood for ~28 million people in the country. India is the third largest fish producer in the global sphere and more than 65 per cent of Indias fish is through inland fisheries and aquaculture. The main constraint to aquaculture globally, however, is disease with an estimate that 20 per cent of all cultured aquatic animals are lost because of infectious diseases, amounting to around $10 billion in losses annually on a global scale.
Hemorrhagic septicemia in freshwater fishes is caused by Aeromonas hydrophila, an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium. This infection is the scourge of fresh and brackish water fish farming worldwide and is considered a significant economic problem in Indian aquaculture over the past decades. All the cultured freshwater fish species in India like rohu, catla, mrigal, silver carp, grass carp, common carp, medium carp, channel catfish, eel, etc are susceptible to this disease.
Over the years, antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are used for controlling bacterial diseases including Aeromonas hydrophila. Now bacterial pathogens have become resistant to these chemicals when used over an extended period and some chemicals pose environmental health hazards. In this context, vaccination is the most promising and environmentally safe concept for controlling diseases.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited said, IIL is the first in India to get to fish vaccines. We are aware of the challenges associated with being the first, having been in similar situations for many other livestock vaccines. We are working at multiple fronts in defining pathways for commercial development of fish vaccines in India.
Dr Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited added, IIL is committed to developing vaccines for the fisheries sector with a long-term strategic objective of reducing the use of antibiotics thereby antimicrobial resistance in the environment, as part of One Health initiative.
Dr Pramoda Kumar Sahoo, Director of ICAR-CIFA said Currently there is no fish vaccines available in India on a commercial scale to prevent aquaculture infections. Scientists from CIFA conducted years of research to develop a vaccine candidate against Aeromonas septicemia. I am glad that IIL has come forward for commercial development of this vaccine.
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Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 10:56 am