Application of Bacteriophages to Control Vibrio alginolyticus Contamination in Oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) Larvae

Abstract

Mortalities of bivalve larvae and spat linked with Vibrio spp. infection have been described in hatcheries since 1959, causing potential development of resistant bacteria. A reliable and sustainable solution to this problem is yet to be developed. Potential treatment of bacterial infection with bacteriophages is gaining interest in aquaculture as a more sustainable option for managing Vibrio spp. infection. This study assessed the effectiveness of bacteriophages (Φ-5, Φ-6, and Φ-7) against pathogenic Vibrio isolates (USC-26004 and USC-26005). These phage isolates were found to belong to the Myoviridae viral family. A total of 212 ORFs of Φ-5 were identified and annotated. The genome of this phage contained putative thymidine kinase and lysin enzyme. During infections with phages, the OD values of the isolates USC-26005 and USC-26004 remained stable at a much lower reading compared to the control after 9 h of incubation. Mortality rate of oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) larvae was 28.2 ± 3.5% in the bacteriophage treatment group, compared to 77.9 ± 9.1% in the bacterial treatment group after 24 h incubation. Findings of this study indicate that lytic phages might be utilized as potential bio-control agents of luminescent bacterial disease in oyster hatcheries.

Preliminary assessment of large‐scale co‐culture of sandfish (Holothuria scabra) with the Babylon snail (Babylonia areolata) in earthen ponds and in raceways

“…and Wang et al (2013) described “acute death syndrome” in Babylonia related to the presence of Vibrio in culture systems. Vibriosis has been described affecting other mollusk species, such as clams (Paillard, 2004), abalone, and oysters (De Decker & Saulnier, 2011; Le, Southgate, O'Connor, Vu, & Kurtböke, 2020; Sohn et al, 2016). Poor water and sediment quality have also been linked to decreased immune function in Babylonia , which may increase their susceptibility to pathogens in intensive culture (Koeypudsa et al, 2008; Ruangsri et al, 2018).…”

Phages in Food Industry Biocontrol and Bioremediation

“…Two different approaches have been described to solve this problem. The first consists on direct phage treatment comprising two phages, which diminished mortality rates from 77.9% in the control group to 28.2% after just 24 h of incubation [65]. However, the second approach focuses on decontaminating microalgae as vectors for Vibrio sp.…”

Coastal Microbiomes Reveal Associations between Pathogenic Vibrio Species, Environmental Factors, and Planktonic Communities

“…Other Vibrios identified are known coral, fish, and shellfish pathogens. Additionally, finding Vibrio phage sequences along with those of potential hosts is useful for identifying good candidates for phage therapy which has been used to reduce presence of pathogenic Vibrio species in aquaculture [57,58].…”