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Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, December 2000, p. 655-671, Vol. 64, No. 4
1092-2172/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Probiotic Bacteria as Biological Control Agents in Aquaculture

Laurent Verschuere,1 Geert Rombaut,1 Patrick Sorgeloos,2 and Willy Verstraete1,*

Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Department of Biochemical and Microbiological Technology,1 and Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Production,2 Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

There is an urgent need in aquaculture to develop microbial control strategies, since disease outbreaks are recognized as important constraints to aquaculture production and trade and since the development of antibiotic resistance has become a matter of growing concern. One of the alternatives to antimicrobials in disease control could be the use of probiotic bacteria as microbial control agents. This review describes the state of the art of probiotic research in the culture of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and live food, with an evaluation of the results obtained so far. A new definition of probiotics, also applicable to aquatic environments, is proposed, and a detailed description is given of their possible modes of action, i.e., production of compounds that are inhibitory toward pathogens, competition with harmful microorganisms for nutrients and energy, competition with deleterious species for adhesion sites, enhancement of the immune response of the animal, improvement of water quality, and interaction with phytoplankton. A rationale is proposed for the multistep and multidisciplinary process required for the development of effective and safe probiotics for commercial application in aquaculture. Finally, directions for further research are discussed.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Department Biochemical and Microbiological Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Phone: 32-09-264.59.76. Fax: 32-09-264.62.48. E-mail: willy.verstraete{at}rug.ac.be.

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, December 2000, p. 655-671, Vol. 64, No. 4
1092-2172/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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