Phase II polyvalent vaccine for freshwater catfish (Pangasius)

Vietnam is the global market leader in producing farmed freshwater catfish species known as Pangasius. Production has intensified, reaching 1.5 million tonnes in 2021 with an estimated value of USD1.7 billion (CAD2.21B). However, intensification has increased the prevalence and transmission of infections, resulting in up to 90% fish mortalities within affected farms. Vaccine hesitancy remains high, with Vietnamese Pangasius farmers choosing to administer a cocktail of antibiotics. The over-use of antibiotics has contributed to a rapid increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), resulting in mass fish mortalities and subsequent treatment failures. This aquatic food production sector has reached an AMR crisis point and urgently needs an alternative to antibiotics.

A whole-cell inactivated vaccine has been developed for freshwater catfish and administered by immersion to give greater than 70% protection against two major pathogens during vaccination and efficacy trials. This project will advance the proof-of-concept polyvalent immersion vaccine through the development pipeline, increase vaccine uptake and provide the Pangasius farmers with an attractive alternative to antibiotics that they are willing to use. This interdisciplinary project will adopt state-of-the-art methods to address vaccine hesitancy in the fish farming communities, determine duration and level of protection in the target fish species, and develop laboratory-based assays to monitor successful vaccination.

This project is funded under InnoVet-AMR 2.0, a four-year partnership between IDRC and the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care. The initiative is aimed at reducing the emerging risk that anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in animals poses to global health and food security.