Phage Hunters Training and Research Program’s Post

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat, and the aquaculture sector is no exception. The overuse of antibiotics in fish farming has led to the emergence of resistant bacterial strains, endangering not only aquatic animal health but also human health and food security. As the fastest-growing food production sector, aquaculture needs sustainable solutions to ensure its continued growth without compromising on health and safety. 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 Bacteriophages are viruses that exclusively infect and replicate within bacterial cells. Here's why they're gaining attention in aquaculture: 1. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆: Unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics, phages target specific bacterial species or strains, leaving beneficial bacteria unharmed. 2. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Phages multiply at the site of infection, increasing their effectiveness. 3. 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: They can evolve alongside bacteria, potentially overcoming resistance mechanisms. Over the past decades, research has identified key bacterial pathogens affecting farmed fish and shellfish. These primarily include species of 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘰, 𝘌𝘥𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢, 𝘓𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴, 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴, 𝘈𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴, and 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮. In response to these threats, scientists have conducted extensive investigations into the potential of phage therapy as a control measure. These studies have encompassed both laboratory-based (𝘐𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘰) experiments and real-world (𝘐𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰) trials within aquaculture settings. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 While the potential of phage therapy in aquaculture is exciting, several challenges need to be addressed: 1. 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: The development of appropriate regulations for phage-based products in aquaculture is crucial. 2. 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Methods for large-scale production and application of phages in diverse aquaculture settings need refinement. 3. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀: Although less likely than with antibiotics, bacteria can develop resistance to phages, necessitating ongoing research and development. 4. 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Educating stakeholders about the safety and benefits of phage therapy is essential for its widespread adoption. Summarized by Roberto Monllor Guerra. #Aquaculture #AntimicrobialResistance #PhageTherapy #PhageResearch #OneHealth 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 Sieiro, C., Areal-Hermida, L., Pichardo-Gallardo, Á., Almuiña-González, R., de Miguel, T., Sánchez, S., Sánchez-Pérez, Á., & Villa, T. G. (2020). A Hundred Years of Bacteriophages: Can Phages Replace Antibiotics in Agriculture and Aquaculture?. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 9(8), 493. https://lnkd.in/dVGxB_bS

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Sandhya Shrivastava

Director, Bhavan’s Research Center, Microbiology

4mo

Very useful article!

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