The Bioscientist (Jan 2023)
UTILIZATION OF ANTIBIOTICS IN AQUACULTURE; PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE ALTERNATIVES IN THE POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC ERA
Abstract
Aquaculture is one of the fast-expanding animal production sectors. Due to over exploitation of catch fisheries in Nigeria, aquaculture development is the only method to ensure sustainable fisheries in the post-covid-19 pandemic era. As aquaculture become intensive, fish disease outbreaks have increased. Antibiotics are frequently used by fish producers to maintain fish health. Antimicrobial resistance bacteria, reduced productivity, and environmental problem, as well as the destruction of important microbial flora in the fish digestive tracts, all threaten the successful use of antibiotics (antimicrobial) in aquaculture. Aeromonas hydrophila, A. salmonicida, Yersinia ruckeri, Edwardsiella tarda, and other bacteria have shown resistance to most antibiotics. Antibiotic residues in fish also constitute a concern to human health, producing allergic reactions, toxicity, changes in gut flora, among others which may compromise the immune system in the post-covid-19 era. Antibiotics used in modern aquaculture are gradually being replaced with eco-friendly alternatives such as probiotics-biotechnology, essential oils, Phyto-biotics, immunostimulants, bacteriophage-therapy, and so on. All of these alternatives can be used as prophylactic fish disease management while enhancing the nonspecific immune system of fish for disease treatment and prevention without harming the environment but with positive public health impacts in the post-covid-19 pandemic era.
