Pathogens and their sources in freshwater fish, sea finfish, shellfish, and algae

Abstract

Fish production is one of the most important solutions to tackle the great challenges of the 21st century, such as how to feed people in the context of a growing population. However, pathogens such as bacteria, including antimicrobial-resistant populations and viruses, can be present in the water column and fish (also including shellfish) threatening food security and public health. Pathogens can be transferred from human settlements, cropping systems, livestock systems, animal slaughtering and processing industries, and from other sources of human and animal activity, into the aquatic environment and contaminate fish. Fish contamination can be also continued in harvesting, handling, packaging, processing, and distribution, because of poor hygiene or sanitary practices in the post-farm gate. Such pathogens can end up in humans through the food value chain and fall ill after eating contaminated fish. Several pathogenic strains, serotypes or serovars of Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella enterica, Aeromonas sp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium botulinum are responsible for thousands of cases and deaths associated with fish consumption around the globe. Of them, Vibrio, Salmonella, Aeromonas, and L. monocytogenes isolated from farmed fish, have been found to present antibiotic resistance to various antimicrobial agents. Researchers can now detect such pathogenic bacteria using cutting-edge methodologies for example, conventional PCR, Real-Time PCR, High-Resolution Melting, and technologies such as Next Generation Sequencing. Such innovations have immensely contributed to our understanding of how to solve problems of stakeholders related to seafood safety, minimize hazard related issues, and tackle food and economic losses in pre- and post- fish farm gate, thereby providing products of the highest safety in the world. © 2023 International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.