Vaccination in aquaculture with emphasis on sturgeon fishes

With increasing density in aquaculture, the rise in disease prevalence is inevitable. Antibiotics and chemical agents are the common methods for combating diseases. However, the high cost, drug resistance, environmental issues, reduced meat quality, and practical challenges have led to vaccines being proposed as an alternative, making them one of the best methods to fight diseases.
In terms of vaccine production, they are classified into killed, attenuated, subunit, and DNA vaccines. Studies have shown that using native pathogens for vaccine production offers better efficacy.
In aquatic species, vaccination is performed through different methods such as injection, immersion, and oral administration. Injections are carried out either intraperitoneally or intramuscularly, with intraperitoneal injection being more common. The injection method provides long-term protection, is applicable for fish weighing 15 grams or more, and is the most expensive vaccination method for fish. In immersion vaccination, fish are immersed in a solution containing the vaccine, which is suitable for smaller fish. However, the loss of vaccine is high, and it is not possible to store the excess vaccine. Oral vaccination is the simplest method for vaccinating large numbers of fish. This method does not require moving the fish, thus reducing costs and mortality due to handling, but its effectiveness is lower.
The immune response of fish to vaccines is significantly influenced by factors such as temperature, light, water quality, salinity, and various stress factors. To achieve the best and most effective results, vaccination should be performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Vaccination is recommended only for the prevention of diseases and in healthy fish, and monovalent vaccines should not be mixed.