Inhibition of Aeromonas hydrophila and intestinal pathogenic bacteria in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish by silver nanoparticles.
Keywords:
Coated AgNPs; antibacterial activity; pathogenic bacteria; motile Aeromonas septicemia; Nile tilapiaAbstract
Objective: This research investigated the antibacterial properties of coated silver nanoparticles (CAgNPs) and non-coated silver nanoparticles (NCAgNPs) against bacterial pathogens relevant to Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), using both in vitro and in vivo methods. Materials and Methods: The antibacterial activity of CAgNPs and NCAgNPs was evaluated in vitro against seven bacterial pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Aeromonas hydrophila, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Aeromonas sobria. For the in vivo assessment, 200 Nile tilapia were divided into five treatment groups. The control treatment group was fed a standard diet, but the four treatment groups were fed the standard diet mixed with either 100 or 200 mg/kg of CAgNPs or NCAgNPs, respectively, and the growth indices, antioxidant parameters, immune functions, and intestinal microbiota were assessed. When the experiment was finished, 20 fish of every group were infected with A. hydrophila. Results: In vitro assays demonstrated significant antibacterial activity of both CAgNPs and NCAgNPs at 200 µg/ml (p < 0.05) against every bacterial strain that was studied, with moderate activity observed at 100 µg/ml. CAgNPs exhibited larger inhibition zones (30.0 ± 0.58 mm to 36.33 ± 0.88 mm) compared to NCAgNPs, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 150 µg/ ml. Dietary supplementation with 200 mg/kg CAgNPs improved growth performance, enhanced immune parameters, reduced oxidative stress, and decreased intestinal bacterial load in Nile tilapia. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with 100 mg/kg CAgNPs was more efficient than 100 mg/kg NCAgNPs in reducing intestinal bacterial colonization in fish. Conclusion: These findings indicate the possibility of CAgNPs as an efficient antimicrobial factor in aquaculture. CAgNPs may offer a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics by improving tilapia health and antioxidant status, enhancing immune function, and increasing disease resistance.
J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 12(2): 647–660, June 2025
Downloads
28
13
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Samyah D Jastaniah, Najah M Albaqami

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).