title: Assessment of the immune-modulatory and antimicrobial effects of dietary chitosan on Nile tilapia (Oreochrmis niloticus) with special emphasis to its bio-remediating impacts.
abstract: Fish, pathogen and environment are three counterparts who are sharing the same circle of life. To keep fish up to their optimal health, environment should be competently improved and pathogen count/virulence should be seized. Using of bioactive immunostimulants to achieve these objectives is the hypothesis under assessment. Thus, the present study was performed to evaluate the use of shrimp shells derived chitosan as an immunostimulant as well as preventive regime against Aeromonas hydrophila infection of Nile tilapia and to assess its antibacterial/aquatic bio-remediating effects. Results achieved by feeding 1% chitosan as preventive/therapeutic regimes have revealed a remarkably enhanced several innate immunological parameters (e.g., Phagocytic activity/index, NBT, Lysozyme activity and ACH50), increased resistance against A. hydrophila and strikingly improved water quality compared to the 0.5 and 2% chitosan containing diets. Conclusively, experimental results suggest the commercial usage of chitosan as an efficient immunostimulant and bio-remediating agent in aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 11221, Egypt. Electronic address: Nermeen_abuelala@cu.edu.eg.
authors.forename: Nermeen M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Abu-Elala
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Samah H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Poultry Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 11221, Egypt.
authors.forename: Manal M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 11221, Egypt.
authors.forename: Alaa Eldin
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Eissa
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023681:Cichlids; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Bio-remediation; Chitosan; Immunostimulant; Innate immunity; Nile tilapia