Protective efficacy and immune response to adjuvanted Pseudomonas putida ghost vaccine in Nile tilapia

Aquaculture faces significant challenges from bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas putida, which causes severe infections in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), leading to economic losses and public health concerns. To address this, a bacterial ghost vaccine of P. putida (PPGs) was developed using a sponge-like reduced protocol, ensuring structural integrity and complete inactivation while preserving immunogenic surface components. The vaccine was formulated with a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) adjuvant to enhance immunogenicity. Efficacy of the vaccine were evaluated in tilapia through serum IgM quantification, gene expression analysis, and challenge trials. Results demonstrated that both plain and adjuvanted PPGs vaccines elicited robust humoral and cellular immune responses, with significant upregulation of immune-related genes (IL-1β, IL-8, IgM, MHC-II α) and high serum IgM levels. The adjuvanted PPGs vaccine provided superior protection, achieving relative percent survival (RPS) values of 76.8 %, 93.9 %, and 97.2 % at 4-, 8-, and 10-weeks post-vaccination, respectively, compared to plain PPGs (62.9 %, 67.8 %, 64.4 %). No adverse effects resulted from the PPGs vaccine administration were observed, confirming the vaccine's biocompatibility. These results prove that the adjuvanted PPGs vaccine prepared herein is a safe and effective prophylactic intervention in Nile tilapia aquaculture against P. putida infections, conferring durable immunity and exhibiting potential for scalable implementation.