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A framework for understanding the potential for emerging diseases in aquaculture
Alexander G Murray1, Edmund J Peeler
1Fisheries Research Services, P.O. BOX 101, 357 Victoria Rd., Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK. murrays@marlab.ac.uk
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
|March 2, 2005
Summary
Aquaculture diseases pose significant risks, driven by pathogen exchange, microbial evolution, and stock transfers. Implementing biosecurity programs can mitigate these disease emergence factors in farmed aquatic species.
Area of Science:
- Aquatic animal health
- Disease ecology
- Risk analysis in aquaculture
Background:
- Aquaculture species face numerous emerging diseases, causing significant economic and ecological damage.
- Disease emergence is multifactorial, with unique combinations of causes for each disease, yet common risk factors exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key disease emergence risk factors in aquaculture.
- To combine risk-analysis methods and virulence theory with historical data for insights.
Main Methods:
- Utilized risk-analysis methods and virulence theory.
- Analyzed historical examples, primarily from salmonid production.
- Identified common factors contributing to disease emergence.
Main Results:
- Key disease emergence pathways include pathogen exchange with wild populations, evolution from non-pathogenic microbes, and anthropogenic stock transfer.
- High population densities and stresses in aquacultural practices exacerbate infection risk and spread.
- Expanding aquaculture and new species farming will likely lead to continued adverse impacts on wild and farmed fish.
Conclusions:
- Disease emergence in aquaculture is an ongoing challenge with significant consequences.
- Biosecurity programs are crucial for mitigating identified risk factors.
- Proactive application of biosecurity can reduce the rate and extent of disease emergence.