Studies pertaining to fish pathogenic bacteria
Student name: Ms Vasumana Sharma
Guide: Dr Ramakrishnan Sitaraman
Year of completion: 2013
Host Organisation: Venkateshwara College, University of Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Om Prakash
Abstract: Bacterial infection is a main threat causing huge loss to fish industries. Fish in natural
environment are exposed to all kind of pathogens which causes diseases and death. The fish
farmers use antimicrobial drugs on regular basis to overcome these losses. But the regular use
has led to antibiotics resistance in bacteria. Identification of bacterial strains causing diseases in
fish could be of great help to conquer such infections and prevent such losses in aquaculture. In
the present study bacteria commonly infecting fish in northern India were isolated from infected
tissues of fish, with an aim to isolate and identify the pathogenic bacteria. Different methods
including Gram staining, biochemical assays and molecular analysis were performed for the
identification of bacteria. Some plant extracts were also tested for their antibacterial activity
against the bacteria. The plants showing high antimicrobial activity are proposed to be replaced
with antibiotics, however confirmatory in-vivo studies are required to further confirm this.
Key words: Fish, pathogenic bacteria, antibiotics, plants secondary metabolites, therapeutics,
antimicrobial activity.
