HYDERABAD: Vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals Ltd on Monday said it has entered into a partnership with Bhubaneswar-based Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institute, for the commercial development of a freshwater fish vaccine against Hemorrhagic Septicemia.
Also called Aeromonas Septicemia, Ulcer Disease or Red-Sore Disease, Hemorrhagic Septicemia is an infection caused by Aeromonas Hydrophila, an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium, in freshwater fish.
All the cultured freshwater fish species in India like Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, Silver Carp, Grass Carp, Common Carp, Medium Carp, Channel Catfish and Eel are susceptible to this disease, which is the scourge of fresh and brackish water fish farming worldwide and has emerged as a significant economic problem in Indian aquaculture over the past few decades, IIL said.
Pointing out that over the years, antibiotics and chemo-therapeutants have been used for controlling bacterial diseases, including A Hydrophila, IIL pointed out that bacterial pathogens have now become resistant to these chemicals due to use over an extended period with some chemicals also posing environmental health hazards which is why vaccination has emerged as the most promising and environmentally safe option for disease control in fish.
Commenting on the development, IIL managing director Dr K Anand Kumar said: “IIL is the first in India to get fish vaccines. We are aware of the challenges associated with being the first, having been in similar situations for many other livestock vaccines. We are working on multiple fronts in defining pathways for commercial development of fish vaccines in India.”
Pointing out that currently there are no fish vaccines available in India on a commercial scale to prevent aquaculture infections, ICAR-CIFA director Dr Pramoda Kumar Sahoo said: “CIFA scientists conducted years of research to develop a vaccine candidate against Aeromonas Septicemia. I am glad that IIL has come forward for commercial development of this vaccine.”
IIL ventured into the aqua business in October 2022 with the rollout of products for aquaculture health market dealing with pond management and fish or shrimp gut management and also announced the commercial development of fish vaccines with ICAR-CIFE (Central Institute of Fisheries Education).
Also called Aeromonas Septicemia, Ulcer Disease or Red-Sore Disease, Hemorrhagic Septicemia is an infection caused by Aeromonas Hydrophila, an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium, in freshwater fish.
All the cultured freshwater fish species in India like Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, Silver Carp, Grass Carp, Common Carp, Medium Carp, Channel Catfish and Eel are susceptible to this disease, which is the scourge of fresh and brackish water fish farming worldwide and has emerged as a significant economic problem in Indian aquaculture over the past few decades, IIL said.
Pointing out that over the years, antibiotics and chemo-therapeutants have been used for controlling bacterial diseases, including A Hydrophila, IIL pointed out that bacterial pathogens have now become resistant to these chemicals due to use over an extended period with some chemicals also posing environmental health hazards which is why vaccination has emerged as the most promising and environmentally safe option for disease control in fish.
Commenting on the development, IIL managing director Dr K Anand Kumar said: “IIL is the first in India to get fish vaccines. We are aware of the challenges associated with being the first, having been in similar situations for many other livestock vaccines. We are working on multiple fronts in defining pathways for commercial development of fish vaccines in India.”
Pointing out that currently there are no fish vaccines available in India on a commercial scale to prevent aquaculture infections, ICAR-CIFA director Dr Pramoda Kumar Sahoo said: “CIFA scientists conducted years of research to develop a vaccine candidate against Aeromonas Septicemia. I am glad that IIL has come forward for commercial development of this vaccine.”
IIL ventured into the aqua business in October 2022 with the rollout of products for aquaculture health market dealing with pond management and fish or shrimp gut management and also announced the commercial development of fish vaccines with ICAR-CIFE (Central Institute of Fisheries Education).
