City firm makes vax to protect fish and shrimp in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Like animals and humans, now fish and shrimps will also get vaccinated against diseases as the city-based Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) has forayed into the aquaculture health segment with the launch of its products to serve the growing needs of shrimp and fish farming industry in the country.

IIL produces multiple types of vaccines for humans and livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and others. It is one of the largest producers of vaccines in Asia. With the foray into aquaculture IIL will introduce products including vaccines that will significantly reduce the usage of antibiotics in the aqua health industry, said Dr Priyabrata Pattnaik, Managing Director of IIL during the launch event held here on Tuesday. 

India’s shrimp industry primarily includes two species, White Leg Shrimp and Black Tiger Shrimp. Approximately, 40 per cent of shrimps are exported to the United States of America followed by about 30 per cent to Vietnam and nearly 15 per cent to the European Union. The export market strictly demands antibiotic-free products. 

Though India holds the second position in the world for freshwater fish, freshwater fish farming in India is still based on traditional methods - large ponds, no water exchange, no draining, and no bottom sediment removal - that often leads to conditions that promote diseases.

Many fish farmers are tempted to use high doses of antibiotics to treat such diseases, which ultimately leads to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). “With its strong research and development team, IIL has all the technological capabilities to manufacture vaccines for aqua health management,” said Dr K Anand Kumar, Deputy Managing Director of IIL.