Efficacy of tilapia oral vaccine coupled with a nanocomposite biomaterial as carrier for vaccine delivery

Abstract

Fish diseases have seriously threatened and hampered the aquaculture industry. Low stress yet effective mass vaccination strategies for disease control and prevention are needed for sustainable aquaculture. Fishvax, a vaccine using a nanocomposite biomaterial for oral delivery, was developed and applied in this study for vaccination against Aeromonas veronii, a bacteria that can cause major disease outbreaks in fish. The project team, based at the Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, was headed by Dr. Anacleto Argayosa, in collaboration with Dr. Rolando Pakingking Jr. of SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department. The project was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, now the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.