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Veterinary Sciences
Special Issues
New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease
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New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2024) | Viewed by 11364

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anita M. Kelly

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, College of Agriculture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36829, USA
Interests: fish health and disease; epidemiology; freshwater fish; endocrinology
Dr. Timothy J. Bruce

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, College of Agriculture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36829, USA
Interests: fish health and disease; aquaculture nutrition; microbiology; vaccines; aquaculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food sector globally and currently provides over half of the world’s seafood protein. It has shown steady growth over the last two decades and is expected to continue. Improved aquaculture production strategies have focused on intensifying production systems, which rely only on high stocking densities, high-quality diets, and limited water exchange. As production systems become more intensive, the risk of significant losses due to pathogens increases. The treatment of diseases in fish is limited to a few approved treatments, which vary from country to country. In the United States, only three approved antibiotics are available for use. Fish culturists must examine ways of reducing or preventing fish disease to improve production. These methods could include stress reduction, the use of probiotics or prebiotics, novel therapeutants, vaccines, or best management practices.

The aim of this Special Issue, “New Approaches to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease”, is to publish original research articles, case studies, and review articles on the latest advances concerning the reduction and prevention of fish health/diseases.  This Special Issue welcomes submissions from all experts working in fish health or fish diseases, stress mitigation, nutrition, and vaccine development. This Special Issue will help strengthen the information available to reduce disease losses in aquaculture production.

Prof. Dr. Anita M. Kelly
Dr. Timothy J. Bruce
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fish health
  • disease
  • vaccine
  • stress

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1064 KiB  
Article
An Observational Study of Skeletal Malformations in Four Semi-Intensively Reared Carp Species
by Caterina Varvara, Edmond Hala, Mariasevera Di Comite, Rosa Zupa, Letizia Passantino, Gianluca Ventriglia, Angelo Quaranta, Aldo Corriero and Chrysovalentinos Pousis
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11010030 - 12 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1209
Abstract
Cyprinids include some of the most widely farmed freshwater species. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of skeletal malformations in carp species reared in semi-intensive systems in Albania: common carp (Cyprinus carpio), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix [...] Read more.
Cyprinids include some of the most widely farmed freshwater species. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of skeletal malformations in carp species reared in semi-intensive systems in Albania: common carp (Cyprinus carpio), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis). The common carp fingerlings had a mean total length of 28.9 ± 5.0 mm; the frequencies of individuals with at least one anomaly and at least one severe anomaly were 79.2% and 43.4%, respectively. The silver carp juveniles had a mean total length of 21.6 ± 2.1 mm; the frequencies of individuals with at least one anomaly and one severe anomaly were 93.1% and 57.5%, respectively. The grass carp fry had a mean total length of 33.5 ± 2.6 mm; all the analyzed specimens showed almost one anomaly and 86.4% showed at least one severe anomaly. The bighead carp juveniles had a mean total length of 34.4 ± 5.7 mm; the frequencies of individuals with at least one anomaly and at least one severe anomaly were 95.0% and 62.5%, respectively. The development of a more suitable feeding protocol for herbivorous species and the setting up of more efficient broodstock management protocols are suggested to reduce the high incidence of skeletal malformations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease)
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13 pages, 4357 KiB  
Article
The Use of Kaolin as a Prophylactic Treatment to Prevent Columnaris Disease (Flavobacterium covae) in Commercial Baitfish and Sportfish Species
by Anita M. Kelly, Nilima Renukdas, Louis Matthew Barnett, Benjamin H. Beck, Hisham A. Abdelrahman and Luke A. Roy
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(7), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10070441 - 06 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1187
Abstract
Aquaculture farms in Arkansas, USA routinely battle columnaris disease caused by Flavobacterium covae. Columnaris is prevalent during stressful events such as feed training and when fish are stocked at high densities in holding vats before sale. Kaolin clay was effective in laboratory [...] Read more.
Aquaculture farms in Arkansas, USA routinely battle columnaris disease caused by Flavobacterium covae. Columnaris is prevalent during stressful events such as feed training and when fish are stocked at high densities in holding vats before sale. Kaolin clay was effective in laboratory trials as a treatment for columnaris in catfish. As a result, fish farmers are interested in applying kaolin products but were hesitant as they feared that the high doses of kaolin clay in vats might negatively affect the gills and overall health of fish. Therefore, we evaluated potential clay concentrations that might be used to prophylactically treat fish in vats. The effects of low to excessively high doses (0, 1, 2, 4, or 8 g/L) of kaolin clay (AkuaProTM, Imerys, GA, USA) were evaluated using a 72 h bioassay conducted in static tanks using Micropterus salmoides, Pomoxis nigromaculatus, Lepomis macrochirus, Ictalurus punctatus, Notemigonus crysoleucas, and Pimephales promelas. Results of these trials revealed a 100% survival rate across all six fish species exposed to kaolin clay at concentrations of up to 8 g/L for 48 h (followed by a 24 h recovery period in clean water) with no adverse effects to eyes, skin, gastrointestinal tract, or liver histology noted at any treatment. In addition, Micropterus salmoides analyzed for heavy metals due to exposure to the clay indicated that concentrations did not differ from control fish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease)
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18 pages, 3164 KiB  
Article
Persistence of a Wild-Type Virulent Aeromonas hydrophila Isolate in Pond Sediments from Commercial Catfish Ponds: A Laboratory Study
by James T. Tuttle, Timothy J. Bruce, Hisham A. Abdelrahman, Luke A. Roy, Ian A. E. Butts, Benjamin H. Beck and Anita M. Kelly
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(3), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10030236 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1667
Abstract
Virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (vAh) is a major bacterial pathogen in the U.S. catfish industry and is responsible for large-scale losses within commercial ponds. Administering antibiotic feeds can effectively treat vAh infections, but it is imperative to discern new approaches and better understand the [...] Read more.
Virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (vAh) is a major bacterial pathogen in the U.S. catfish industry and is responsible for large-scale losses within commercial ponds. Administering antibiotic feeds can effectively treat vAh infections, but it is imperative to discern new approaches and better understand the mechanics of infection for this bacterium. As such, the persistence of vAh in pond sediments was determined by conducting laboratory trials using sediment from four commercial catfish ponds. Twelve chambers contained sterilized sediment, vAh isolate ML-09-119, and 8 L of water maintained at 28 °C and were aerated daily. At 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days, and every 7th day post-inoculation for 28 days, 1 g of sediment was removed, and vAh colony forming units (CFU) were enumerated on ampicillin dextrin agar. Viable vAh colonies were present in all sediments at all sampling periods. The vAh growth curve peaked (1.33 ± 0.26 × 109 CFU g−1) at 96 h post-inoculation. The population plateaued between days 14 and 28. No correlations were found between CFU g−1 and physiochemical sediment variables. This study validated the ability of vAh to persist within pond sediments in a laboratory setting. Further research on environmental factors influencing vAh survivability and population dynamics in ponds is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease)
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11 pages, 1087 KiB  
Article
Thiamine Supplementation Improves Survival and Body Condition of Hatchery-Reared Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon
by Aimee N. Reed, Freya E. Rowland, Jennifer A. Krajcik and Donald E. Tillitt
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(2), 156; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10020156 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2487
Abstract
Early rearing of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon hatcheries is often problematic; fry can become emaciated and die during the period between hatch and first feed. Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has caused early mortality in salmonids; however, the thiamine status of Oregon’s [...] Read more.
Early rearing of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon hatcheries is often problematic; fry can become emaciated and die during the period between hatch and first feed. Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has caused early mortality in salmonids; however, the thiamine status of Oregon’s steelhead populations is unknown, to date. Of the 26 egg samples from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019, 20 (77%) had thiamine levels < 10 nmol/g, and 13 of those samples (50%) had levels <6.5 nmol/g, suggesting the thiamine deficiency of adult, female steelhead. To investigate if thiamine deficiency was causally related to fry survival, females were injected with buffered thiamine HCl 50 mg/kg prior to spawning; additionally, a subset of eggs were supplemented via bath treatment with thiamine mononitrate (1000 ppm) at spawning. Cumulative fry mortality at 8 weeks post-hatch from thiamine-injected females was 2.9% compared to 13.8% mortality of fry without thiamine supplementation. Fry treated only with the thiamine via bath as eggs had a mortality rate of 6.9%. There were no additional improvements for the survival of fry from injected females that also received a thiamine bath. Furthermore, condition factors were greater in thiamine-supplemented fry than in those that received no thiamine. These data identify thiamine deficiency in Oregon steelhead and suggest supplementation with thiamine can mitigate early rearing mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease)
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10 pages, 817 KiB  
Article
Redspotted Grouper Nervous Necrosis Virus and the Reassortant RGNNV/SJNNV In Vitro Susceptibility against a Commercial Peroxy-Acid Biocide under Different Conditions of Use
by Enrico Volpe, Francesca Errani, Samuele Zamparo and Sara Ciulli
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(2), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10020076 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1373
Abstract
Aquaculture is a constantly growing sector. The intensification of fish production and the movement of aquatic animals could cause the spread of infectious diseases. Remarkably, the diffusion of viral agents represents the major bottleneck for finfish production, and viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) [...] Read more.
Aquaculture is a constantly growing sector. The intensification of fish production and the movement of aquatic animals could cause the spread of infectious diseases. Remarkably, the diffusion of viral agents represents the major bottleneck for finfish production, and viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) is considered the most impacting disease for Mediterranean aquaculture. No effective therapies are available to contrast VER, and vaccination can be applied only in grow-out facilities. Hence, programs to minimize the sanitary risks in farms are paramount to implementing hygienic standards and biosecurity. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro virucidal activity of a peroxy-acid disinfectant (Virkon® S, DuPont, Sudbury, UK) towards the two NNV strains most widespread in the Mediterranean Sea. Remarkably, two protocols were applied to assess the virucidal activity under different conditions of use: the suspension test and the net test. The latter has been applied to evaluate the efficacy of the biocide on instruments, simulating the in-field application. The obtained results demonstrated the suitability of the tested biocide for NNV inactivation, being effective under some of the tested conditions. However, the presence of organic matter, the concentration of the product, and the application conditions can significantly affect the result of the disinfection procedure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease)
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15 pages, 1497 KiB  
Article
Growth Performance, Survival, Blood Chemistry, and Immune Gene Expression of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Fed Probiotic-Supplemented Diets
by Khanh Q. Nguyen, Timothy J. Bruce, Oluwafunmilola E. Afe, Mark R. Liles, Benjamin H. Beck and Donald Allen Davis
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(12), 701; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9120701 - 16 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2127
Abstract
The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) farming industry is the largest and one of the oldest aquaculture industries in the United States. Despite being an established industry, production issues stemming from disease outbreaks remain problematic for producers. Supplementing fish diets with probiotics [...] Read more.
The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) farming industry is the largest and one of the oldest aquaculture industries in the United States. Despite being an established industry, production issues stemming from disease outbreaks remain problematic for producers. Supplementing fish diets with probiotics to enhance the immune system and growth potential is one approach to mitigating disease. Although considerable laboratory data demonstrate efficacy, these results do not always translate to natural modes of disease transmission. Hence, the present work was conducted in the laboratory but incorporated flow-through water from large catfish pond production systems, allowing for natural exposure to pathogens. Two feeding trials were conducted in an 18-tank aquaria system housing two different sizes, 34.8 ± 12.5 g and 0.36 ± 0.03 g, of channel catfish. Channel catfish in the first trial were fed three experimental diets over six weeks. Commercial diets were top-coated with two selected spore-forming Bacillus spp. probiotics, Bacillus velezensis AP193 (1 × 106 CFU g−1) and BiOWiSH (3.6 × 104 CFU g−1), or a basal diet that contained no dietary additive. In the second eight-week trial, diets were top-coated with BiOWiSH at three concentrations (1.8, 3.6, and 7.3 × 104 CFU g−1), along with one basal diet (no probiotic). At the completion of these studies, growth performance, survival, hematocrit, blood chemistry, and immune expression of interleukin 1β (il1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (tnf-α), interleukin-8 (il8), transforming-growth factor β1 (tgf-β1), and toll-like receptor 9 (tlr9) were evaluated using qPCR. Trial results revealed no differences (p > 0.05) among treatments concerning growth, survival, or hematological parameters. For immune gene expression, interesting trends were discerned, with substantial downregulation observed in B. velezensis AP193-fed fish for il1β, tnf-α, and tlr9 expression within splenic tissue, compared to that of the basal and BiOWiSH diets (p < 0.05). However, the results were not statistically significant for anterior kidney tissue in the first trial. In the second trial, varied levels of probiotic inclusion revealed no significant impact of BiOWiSH’s products on the expression of il1β, tnf-α, il8, and tgf-β1 in both spleen and kidney tissue at any rate of probiotic inclusion (p > 0.05). Based on these findings, more research on utilizing probiotics in flow-through systems with natural infection conditions is crucial to ensure consistency from a controlled laboratory scale to real-world practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approach to Reducing and Preventing Fish Disease)
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