Antimicrobial effect of dietary oregano essential oil against Vibrio bacteria in shrimps

Abstract

The effect of dietary oregano essential oils on the growth of Vibrio bacteria in shrimps was evaluated. Shrimps were fed: (i) food with oregano oil with a high level of thymol; (ii) food with oregano oil with a high level of carvacrol, and (iii) food without oregano oil (the control). The animals were infected by three species of Vibrio (vulnificus, parahaemolyticus and cholerae). The microbial counts of Vibrio species were significantly lower (p <0.05) in tissues from animals whose food was supplemented with oregano oil. We concluded that dietary supplementation of shrimps with oregano oil provides antimicrobial activity into the body of the penaeids.

Keywords

• Antimicrobial effect
• Vibrio bacteria
• shrimp culture
• oregano essential oil