Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252040
Title: Efficacy of an experimentally inactivated Streptococcus agalactiae vaccine in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in Brazil

Author
item PRETTO-GIORDANO, LUCIENNE - State University Of Londrina
item MULLER, ERNST - State University Of Londrina
item Klesius, Phillip
item DA SILVA, VANESSA - State University Of Londrina

Submitted to: Aquaculture Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2009
Publication Date: 12/28/2009
Citation: Pretto-Giordano, L.G., Muller, E.E., Klesius, P.H., Da Silva, V.G. 2009. Efficacy of an experimentally inactivated Streptococcus agalactiae vaccine in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in Brazil. Aquaculture Research [online]. Available: doi:10.1111/j.1365-2109.2009.02449.x.

Interpretive Summary: Brazil is among the top producers of tilapia in the world. However, tilapia experience Streptococcus agalactiae mortality that limits increased production. Streptococcus agalactiae is a bacterial pathogen that is very difficult to effectively control. Vaccination appears to be the best method of controlling this pathogen. A S. agalactiae vaccine was developed using a virulent Brazilian isolate and tested for its efficacy in tilapia. The vaccine was produced as modified killed vaccine supplement with the extracellular products of the bacterium. In vaccine trials, the efficacy of this vaccine was 83.6 % and 96.4 % effective in preventing mortalities. The study concluded that it is possible to control S. agalactiae disease in tilapia by vaccination.

Technical Abstract: Tilapia aquaculture is one of the fastest growing segments of fish production in Brazil. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is largely cultivated in the state of Parana, where Streptococcus agalactiae is the cause of severe disease outbreaks. The objective of this paper was to evaluate an inactivated S. agalactiae vaccine in tilapia for the control of streptococcal disease outbreaks. Tilapia, weighing approximately 20 g each, were intraperitoneally (i.p.) inoculated with 0.1 mL of the vaccine at a dose of 2.0 X 10 (8) colony forming unit (CFU) mL. One group of tilapia (treatment 1) received one vaccine dose and the other group of tilapia (treatment 2) received two doses, with an interval of 21 days. The control group was i.p. inoculated with 0.1 mL tryptic soy broth fish. Immunized and control tilapia were i.p. challenged with 0.1 mL of 3.0 X 10 (7) CFU mL at 30 days post vaccination. The fish were monitored daily for disease signs and for mortality for 16 days post challenge. A statistically significant difference (P = 0.0045) was found between the mortality of treatments 1 and 2. The value of relative per cent of survival of 83.6% and 96.4%, respectively, indicate that this vaccine was efficient in Nile tilapia.