Antibiotic Overuse And Probiotic Use In Aquaculture

The use of antibiotics in the aquaculture industry has been widespread and beneficial- but it has now progressed to overuse. Injudicious use of antibiotics in aquatic animals has led to antibiotic resistance.

This was especially felt in the shrimp culture industry, where a massive increase in production, massive overcrowding, and unrestricted use of antibiotics led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

This has, in turn, led to production crashes and losses to farmers engaged in aquaculture.

But the problem doesn’t end here. Antibiotic resistance on aquaculture farms could lead to problems for human health. Studies show that resistant genes can be transferred between bacteria.

It means that a resistant bacterial strain originating on a fish farm could transfer plasmids to a strain causing communicable diseases in humans.

This has led governments in Europe and the US to restrict the use of antibiotics in aquatic animals. Asian countries have comparatively less stringent rules, especially regarding the overuse of an antibiotic called Chloramphenicol.

Nowadays, the use of probiotics for fish is gaining popularity in aquaculture. In lay language, probiotics are a microbial supplement that benefits host animals by improving their intestinal microbial balance.

Today, probiotics are used as therapeutic, prophylactic, and growth-promoting agents in rearing aquatic animals.

Widely researched for use as aqua probiotics are Lactic Acid Antibiotics like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Other strains are the Bacillus species and yeasts.

Verschuere defines probiotics as a microbial adjunct having a beneficial effect on the host by modifying the host-associated or ambient microbial community, ensuring improved use of feed or increasing its nutritional values, enhancing host response towards disease, or improving ambient surroundings.

• Also Read – Why We Can’t Ignore Fish Disease In Discussions About Sustainable Aquaculture

Probiotics act in several ways:

• Inhibiting pathogens by producing antagonistic compounds
• Competing with pathogens for attachment sites.
• Alteration of enzymatic activity of pathogens
• Immuno-stimulation
• Nutritional benefits like improving feed digestibility and utilization.

Also Read

• Probiotics And Aquaculture
• Aquaculture in Bangladesh and Use of Probiotics for Fish & Shrimp.