As Vietnam expands its tilapia farming, bacterial disease outbreaks can have serious consequences for fish farmers, food production and the responsible use of antimicrobials.
The study shows how difficulties in identifying bacterial disease, combined with antimicrobial resistance, can increase the challenges faced by fish farmers. Strengthening diagnostic capacity, disease prevention and surveillance can help support healthier and more sustainable aquaculture.
Through this ICARS-supported project, active disease surveillance identified this emerging disease in farmed tilapia. Further laboratory and genomic analysis helped identify the pathogen and its antimicrobial resistance profile, providing new evidence to inform practical approaches to disease management and antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam.
