Antibiotic resistance in
bacteria isolated from hatchery-reared larvae and post-larvae of Macrobrachium
rosenbergii
A.S. Sahul Hameed, K.H. Rahaman, A. Alagan, K.
Yoganandhan-2002
Aquaculture, 217(1-4): 39-48
Abstract:
A study was carried out to determine the bacterial
load of larvae and post-larvae of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and their
resistance to various antibiotics used commonly in aquaculture. Total
aerobic heterotrophic bacteria associated with larvae and post-larvae of M.
rosenbergii were determined on nutrient agar and thiosulphate citrate
bile salt agar (TCBS), and the results showed that the bacterial numbers
differed in different larval stages. A total of 523 bacterial isolates
isolated from animal and tank water was examined for their resistance to six
antibiotics. Incidence of bacterial resistance to oxytetracycline was
highest followed by furazolidone and erythromycin among the antibiotics
tested. Incidence of resistance to chloramphenicol was the least observed
among the individual antibiotics. Vibrio species were found to be the
dominant taxon in eggs, larvae and post-larvae of M. rosenbergii. The
minimum inhibitory concentrations of six antimicrobials against the
bacterial isolates were determined. Formalin was found to be very effective
in controlling the bacteria isolated from larvae and post-larvae of
freshwater prawn.
(Department of Zoology, C. Abdul Hakeem College,
Vellore Dist., Melvisharam 632 509, Tamil Nadu, India, e-mail: cah_sahul@hotmail.com)