Application of bacteriophages in balanced feed to control Vibrios spp. in white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the use of bacteriophages incorporated into feed as a control strategy for Vibrio spp. and their effect on the survival and growth of Litopenaeus vannamei, as a biocontrol alternative and to support the reduction of antibiotic use in aquaculture systems. A completely randomized design was used with treatments that included a control group and different doses: 0.4 L of solution/kg of feed (T1), 0.6 L of solution/kg of feed (T2), and 0.8 L of solution/kg of feed (T3). These doses were applied directly to the feed using a wetting and agglutination procedure. During the trial, the condition of the organisms was monitored, and samples were taken from the hepatopancreas for microbiological analysis using selective media for Vibrio. The bacteriophage treatments showed a decrease in bacterial load compared to the control, along with an improvement in survival and productive performance. The results demonstrated the relevance of incorporating bacteriophages into the diet as a biocontrol alternative against vibrios, highlighting their potential to reduce the use of antibiotics and contribute to more sustainable shrimp production.

Keywords: phages, antibiotics, bacteria.