This book covers detailed accounts of viral, bacterial and fungal diseases affecting shrimp, finfish and molluscan aquaculture. It also discusses different aquatic animal health management measures such as disease diagnostics, biosecurity, bioremediation, and application of probiotics, antibiotics and vaccines. Further, the book provides information on the roles of genetics and genomics, disease surveillance, aquatic animal health policies and the effects of climate change in aquaculture. The book is structured into five sections: (i) Pathogens and Diseases of Finfish, (ii) Pathogens and Diseases of Shellfish, (iii) Aquatic Animal Health and Environment, (iv) Health Management in Aquaculture, and (v) Aquatic Animal Health Policy and Regulations.
Aquaculture plays a pivotal role in food and nutritional security, export earnings and the livelihood of millions of people globally. However, aquatic animal diseases have been a major limiting factor in sustainable aquaculture production in terms of economic losses caused by mass mortality and morbidity. In order to combat these endemic and emerging diseases, researchers are formulating strategies to mitigate the negative impact of diseases by understanding the pathogens, hosts and their environment.
This book is a useful reference book for students, researchers, aquaculture technicians, farm and hatchery managers, and policy makers of aquaculture regulatory agencies.
Dr. Rajendran K. V. is a former Principal Scientist & Head, Aquatic Environment & Health Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai and a former Professor, Department of Zoology, Central University of Kerala. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor at ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai. He obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Calicut. He has also worked as a Scientist at ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai. He has carried out his postdoctoral research at the Chonnam National University, South Korea, Auburn University, USA, and worked as a Fish Pathologist with the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia. His primary focus of research has been on shrimp diseases, developing high-throughput molecular diagnostics and the development of vaccines and understanding the host-pathogen interaction. He has authored more than 130 research papers, besides other publications, including edited books.
Dr. Iddya Karunasagar is currently working as an Advisor at FAO Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance, Nitte University, Karnataka, India. He obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees from Mysore University and carried out his postdoctoral research at University of Maryland, USA and the University of Sendai, Japan. He also worked as an Alexander von Humboldt Scholar at University of Wuerzburg, Germany. During his long academic career at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Karnataka, he carried out extensive research on diseases in aquaculture, molecular diagnostics, and health management using immunostimulants, vaccines, RNAi technology, and antimicrobial resistance. He also served FAO, Rome, as Senior Fisheries Officer for about a decade. He has edited several FAO fisheries technical papers and joint FAO and WHO microbiological risk assessment reports.
Dr. Indrani Karunasagar is currently working as a Director at FAO Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance, Nitte University, Karnataka, India. She is a microbiologist by training and obtained her master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Mysore University. She carried out her postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland, USA, University of Sterling, UK and the University of Wuerzburg, Germany. During her career at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University. Karnataka, she carried out extensive research on diseases in aquaculture, molecular diagnostics, health management using immunostimulants, vaccines, RNAi technology, phage therapy, antimicrobial resistance and food safety. She has established the Nitte University Center for Science Education and Research and has been working very closely with UNESCO as a Director in Marine Biotechnology.
