Phage Therapy: An innovative technology for the biological control of bacterial pathogens in A lt Aquaculture Βακτηριοφάγοι: Καινοτόμος τεχνολογία για τη βιολογική καταπολέμηση βακτηριακών ασθενειών στις Υδατοκαλλιέργειες Bacteriophages Phage therapy Phages and aquaculture Bacteriophages • Bacteriophages (or phages) are viruses that infect bacteria Phage therapy • Can be a promising alternative to the use of antibiotics Phages and aquaculture • They can be used in delicate environments such marine hatcheries bacteria • They occur naturally in the water and they constitute the most numerous life form in the planet • They are host specific and infect only the target of antibiotics • Is method of biological control of bacterial diseases • Leaves no residues such marine hatcheries • They remove only the target bacteria without destroying the normal microflora • They do not require multiple doses They are host specific and infect only the target bacteria • They are self-replicating when found in an environment rich in target bacteria Leaves no residues • Is environmentally friendly • Is safe for humans and other life forms They do not require multiple doses rich in target bacteria • They are self-restricted when target bacteria are reduced Phage Research at the Institute of Aquaculture, HCMR Phages attacking bacteria Phage isolation at the Institute of Aquaculture Lytic activityagainst Vibrios Pathogen library Aim: Phage cocktail that will exclude bacterial pathogens in larval rearing tanks without affecting the normal microflora T tB t i lP th Li t ll (Vib i ) ill Scientific responsible: Dr. P. Katharios Επιστημονικός υπεύθυνος: T arget Bacterial Pathogens: Listonella (Vibrio) anguillarum Vibrio harveyi Vibrio alginolyticus Photobacterium (Pasteurella) damselae subsp. Piscicida Επιστημονικός υπεύθυνος: Δρ. Π. Καθάριος Research Programs: EPAL 2000-2006 Innovative Measures, Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food AQUAPHAGE: Network for the development of phage therapy in aquaculture. FP7 Marie Curie IRSES-2010 http://aquaphage.weebly.com/index.html