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

这个I-CORPS团队提案将研究进一步发展的技术，允许检测和控制水产养殖鲶鱼中新出现的细菌病原体嗜水气单胞菌。具体来说，这项技术着眼于嗜水单胞虫特异性诊断分析，使用1)基于生长的，2)基于抗体的，或3)基于dna的方法，以及用于预防鲶鱼疾病的疫苗。研究人员使用新一代测序技术鉴定了流行性嗜水单胞杆菌中存在的独特遗传元素。基于这方面的知识，他们开发了基于生长的、基于抗体的和针对流行性嗜水单胞菌的基因特异性诊断检测方法，以及一种可用于疾病预防的疫苗菌株。鲶鱼养殖是美国重要的水产养殖部门。从2009年开始，鲶鱼池塘中出现了由嗜水气单胞菌引起的流行病爆发，造成每年数百万磅鲶鱼的损失。这些损失已经威胁到鲶鱼产业的经济可持续性，并支持了动物饲料工业、餐馆等相关部门。由于目前很少有针对嗜水单胞杆菌流行的诊断或控制产品，研究小组假设这些技术对社区有重大影响。这些技术有能力显著减少嗜水拟南蛙造成的损失，预计每年将继续超过300万磅食物大小的鲶鱼。通过帮助改善生物安全，诊断分析可以成为防止这种疾病传播到美国其他地区（例如密西西比州、路易斯安那州和阿肯色州）的重要工具。

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).