Types of Vaccines Used in Aquaculture

Vaccination is the best method for disease prevention. A vaccine is an antigenic preparation intended to produce immunity to disease through stimulation of the production of antibodies and memory cells. An “ideal fish vaccine” should have the potential to generate specific immune response, protection, and memory. There are several methods for vaccine development and application. These methods range from conventional live vaccines to the latest molecular vaccines. Every type of vaccine has its own advantages and disadvantages and the choice of vaccine type depends on the type of target pathogen, immune response, safety of the recipient, and feasibility of the application. Vaccine is classified based on the method of preparation such as live attenuated vaccine, vectored vaccine, inactivated vaccine, and sub-unit vaccine. Live vaccines and killed vaccines are conventional methods of vaccine preparation which has potential for inducing specific immune response in host. However, their applications in aquaculture are limited due to constraint in delivery and uptake. Sub-unit vaccine developed using immunogenic units of pathogen like selected proteins or toxoids hold potential for vaccine development. Recombinant protein vaccine and vectored vaccines such as DNA vaccine, RNA vaccine, edible vaccine, and virus-like particles are advantageous because there is no need to culture the pathogen for vaccine production.