I-Corps: Commercial potential for diagnostics and a vaccine targeting epidemic Aeromonas hydrophila

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This I-CORPS team proposal will investigate the further development of technology that allows the detection and control of the emerging bacterial pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila in aquaculture farmed catfish. Specifically, this technology looks at A. hydrophila-specific diagnostic assays that use 1) growth-based, 2) antibody-based, or 3) DNA-based methods, as well as for a vaccine to prevent disease in catfish. Researchers used next-generation sequencing to identify unique genetic elements present in epidemic A. hydrophila. Based on this knowledge, they have developed growth-based, antibody-based, and gene-specific diagnostic assays specific to epidemic A. hydrophila, and a vaccine strain that can be used for disease preventionCatfish farming is an important aquaculture sector in the USA. Beginning in 2009, epidemic outbreaks of disease due to Aeromonas hydrophila emerged in catfish ponds, causing the annual loss of millions of pounds of catfish. These losses have threatened economic sustainability in the catfish industry, and supports related sectors such as the animal feed industry, restaurants, among others. Since there are few currently available diagnostic or control products targeting the epidemic A. hydrophila, the team hypothesizes that these technologies have a significant impact in the community. These technologies have the ability to significantly reduce losses due to A. hydrophila that are anticipated to continue to be in excess of 3 million pounds of food-size catfish per year. By helping to improve biosecurity, the diagnostic assays can be an important tool in preventing the spread of this disease to other regions in the United States (e.g., Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas).