3 Aug, 2026: Animal health remains a key area of research in aquaculture, as infectious diseases continue to affect fish welfare, farm productivity, and the sustainability of aquatic food production systems. Researchers are increasingly exploring preventive approaches that strengthen the natural immune response of cultured species and reduce the need for treatments after disease outbreaks occur. Understanding how immunity develops and functions throughout the life cycle of aquatic animals is an important step toward improving health management strategies in aquaculture.
As part of her doctoral research at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Dr. Andrea N. Pardo V., a recent PhD graduate from the Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AARM) Program, Faculty of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FFANR), under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Thanh Dong, developed and evaluated a bivalent vaccine against two important bacterial pathogens affecting Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Streptococcus agalactiae and Aeromonas veronii.
Nile tilapia is one of the world’s most widely farmed fish species and plays a vital role in food production and livelihoods across many countries. The study investigated the immune response of vaccinated broodstock and assessed the protective effects of vaccination against bacterial infections.
Beyond evaluating vaccine efficacy in adult fish, the research also explored the transfer of maternal immunity from vaccinated broodstock to their offspring. Particular attention was given to the earliest stages of development, when fish are highly vulnerable to disease and their immune systems are still developing. The findings confirmed the presence of maternally derived antibodies in offspring, providing evidence that broodstock vaccination can help enhance protection during the earliest stages of life.
Recognizing that maternal immunity alone may not provide long-term protection, Dr. Andrea also investigated oral vaccination strategies for Nile tilapia fry as a complementary approach. Oral vaccination offers practical advantages for aquaculture, allowing large number of fish to be immunized with minimal handling stress compared to injectable vaccines. Her research explored whether early-life vaccination could stimulate protective immune responses and contribute to improved disease resistance in young fish.
Together, these studies reflect Dr. Andrea’s broader research interest in aquatic animal health, immunology, and preventive disease management. Rather than focusing solely on disease control during the grow-out phase, her work emphasizes the importance of understanding health and immunity throughout the production cycle, from broodstock to offspring and juvenile fish. While further research is needed to optimize vaccination strategies and immune protection in aquaculture species, these findings contribute to the development of more sustainable and effective approaches to disease prevention in fish farming.
Edited by: Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Published paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1050464825004346?via%3Dihub
